26 January 2007
The public would prefer health service managers made decisions about which treatments should be offered by the NHS, rather than MPs or local councillors, according to an NHS Confederation survey.
An Ipsos Mori survey of 1,000 members of the public found that while 9% believed MPs should have a say on whether the NHS should fund a medicine, only 6% felt local councillors should have a role. In contrast, 23% said NHS managers should play a part.
Managers were the third most popular group, behind clinicians (70%) and patient representatives (33%). Most respondents said more than one group should be involved in making the decisions.
Confederation chief executive Gill Morgan said the debate over the funding of drugs such as Herceptin had become highly politicised. 'NHS clinicians and managers are working incredibly hard to meet the needs of local patients within a system that has finite resources,' she said.
'It is reassuring to see that the public believes it is clinicians, patient representatives and managers who are best equipped to make these tough choices —not national or local politicians,' she added.
Only one in five believed cost should be considered. The most important factors were seen as efficacy and whether the drug would be used to treat a life-threatening illness.
'If cost is not to be a factor, then the public may have to be prepared to pay more to have every treatment funded,' she added.
PFjan2007
