NHS Funding Disparities Impacting Thousands of Patients

The ICB panel is composed of healthcare professionals, public health specialists, and regular community members, all overseen by an independent chair. The process of applying for treatment can be lengthy, often taking several months, and the rate of getting these applications approved can vary significantly.

Mr. Czarnetzki shares his experience, stating that under the previous system, he needed injections every six to nine months, but everything changed suddenly. In 2018, his doctor and specialist submitted an application for him to receive treatment, but it was turned down. Although his healthcare providers requested the ICB to take another look at the decision, Mr. Czarnetzki was not allowed to appeal at that time.

While many areas in the country offer a specific treatment known as radio frequency ablation injections, it remains unclear just how many applications for this procedure have been accepted. Instead of receiving the treatment he needed, Mr. Czarnetzki was prescribed strong painkillers, requiring him to take eight tablets a day. Worried about the long-term consequences of using such strong opioids, he ultimately decided to seek private medical care.

Through his research, Mr. Czarnetzki discovered that his local ICB had one of the lowest approval rates for funding requests in all of England. Just three out of 176 funding applications were granted. In contrast, Gloucestershire’s ICB had the highest approval rate at 69%, while neighboring areas like Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire, as well as Shropshire, only approved 2% of requests.

Despite Gloucestershire’s higher success rate, it doesn’t mean that it was an exception. Other regions, such as Lincolnshire, approved 65% of requests, and both Bath & North East Somerset and Dorset ICBs granted more than 50% of their funding requests. This shows that there are significant differences in how different ICBs handle funding applications, leading to disparities in patient access to necessary treatments.

For many people seeking medical help, navigating the application process for treatment can be frustrating and time-consuming. The variability in approval rates among different regions only adds to the confusion and concern for patients who are in desperate need of help. Each individual’s experience can be drastically different based on where they live, which highlights a larger issue within the healthcare system regarding equal access and availability of treatments.