The NHS Reform bill is having a detrimental affect on the treatment and care of patients in the Stockport area. This blog post illustrates this negative effect by bringing attention to one of many patients who is struggling to get help from NHS in the form of Terbinafine prescription thanks to the Funding Cuts!

The Stockport PCT (Primary Care Trust) are currently responsible for cutting the Stockport region spend and are stopping GPs from prescribing certain medication to their patients.

A resident based in Stockport, who wishes to remain anonymous, was told by their GP surgery, that they can no longer prescribe the drug Terbinafine.

The patient was diagnosed with a fungal fingernail infection and needed the Terbinafine treatment over a course of 6 months.

In January 2012 the patient went to their GP surgery to discuss options for treating the fingernail, because the GP could not prescribe Terbinafine through the NHS as a result of recent funding cuts that have been enforced by Stockport PCT.  However the GP was able to give the patient a private prescription for the Terbinafine, which was taken for 18 days. The patient was content with this because, using Terbinafine for six months would most likely get rid of the infection.

The patient then went to get a repeat prescription but was told by the GP they cannot prescribe the Terbinafine privately either, because Stockport PCT has ruled that this is not possible.

“I am very upset and disappointed by this news, and I really do not know what I can do to get rid of this nail fungus, which is affecting my quality of life.”

This decision by Stockport PCT is incomprehensible, it is forcing the patient to have to go private or move GPs in another area. I have also been told by a GP that many drugs have been black  listed by Stockport PCT and GPs are unable to prescribe a number of drugs.

To conclude on this subject, please comment, share and pass this message to others so people know what real affects are happening as a result of the NHS reforms.

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