Move to increase drug and treatment options in Guernsey

A "disparity" between drugs and treatments available in Guernsey and in England is set to change next year, health bosses have announced.

Currently one-third of NHS approved medical treatments are not funded for patients on the island.

These are instead available under a private prescription, meaning patients have to cover the full costs.

Proposals for a phased introduction of more treatments and drugs will be voted on by the States in January.

The island's health committee said 160 of 480 NICE technology appraisal (TA) approved drug and non-drug treatments were not funded in Guernsey.

Technology appraisals recommend the use of new and existing medicines and treatments within the NHS.

The Health and Social Care (HSC) and Policy and Resources Committees propose funding the £5.3m needed for the first year of the scheme and £8.1m needed for the second from the Guernsey Health Reserve.

Work to identify a longer-term source of funding will be included in a fiscal review, which is looking at how Guernsey's government can balance its revenue and expenditure.

HSC president Heidi Soulsby said: "The current policy regarding prioritisation and funding of drugs and treatments has, to a large extent, been in existence for the last 17 years.

"Whilst it has been effective in controlling the rate of increase in health costs it has created disparity between the drugs available to patients in England and those available to patients in the Bailiwick.

"HSC believes that this gap is now too large to be acceptable and a change in policy is required to ensure that this situation does not worsen."