Changes to local NHS- Financial Recovery Plan
The Financial Recovery Plan (FRP) to save £20m includes significant reductions in access to surgery for cataracts, knee and hip replacements, bunions, grommets and more; and the proposed cessation of IVF in all but exceptional cases.
IVF, over the counter medications, smoking, obesity
The first changes are around IVF, over the counter medications, and treatment for smokers/obesity.
Over 400 of you responded to a Richmond NHS survey as part of the formal consultation on IVF that ran until 4 April 2017. The results have now been published.
Commissioners are providing materials to GPs to help patients lose weight or stop smoking before operations, in order to improve results. They are also considering whether to reduce the prescribing of gluten-free food, vitamins, and baby milk.
Surgical changes – cataracts, knee and hip replacements, bunions, grommets and more
At the Healthwatch Richmond event in December 2016, members of the public asked questions around these changes to the provision of specific surgeries.
We asked Richmond Clinical Commissioning Group for a proper information campaign on these changes and are pleased that these details were published. Updated information on access to surgery is available on Richmond CCG's website.
The changes reduce the number of people who get treatments for:
- second eye cataracts
- knee and hip replacements
- arthroscopic knee surgery
- back pain injections
- bunion surgery
- Dupuytren’s fasciotomy surgery
- carpal tunnel surgery
- minor skin lesions
- asymptomatic gallstones
- circumcision (males)
- tonsillectomy
- grommets
- varicose veins
- cosmetic procedures.
Our response:
Some people may benefit from by having less invasive treatment. Other changes, however, could lead to a number of people facing additional months of pain, dysfunction or discomfort before they become eligible for treatment, or to poorer outcomes or increased accident risk. In some cases people will no longer have access to previously available treatment. Richmond Clinical Commissioning Group (RCCG) has responded to our request to publish the details of these changes.
