Nhs Provision Of Specialist Urology Products And Services

EDM number 287 in 2007-08, proposed by David Drew on 15/11/2007.
Categorised under the topics of Health finance and Health services.

That this House notes that 350,000 people use prescription continence appliances regularly to help them manage their conditions; acknowledges that innovative and technologically advanced prescription products help users to maintain their independence and quality of life and to continue working, thus contributing to society and reducing burdens on NHS and social services; expresses concern at current Health Department proposals significantly to reduce the prices the NHS pays for stoma and urology appliances; further notes the concerns of patient groups that these price cuts will lead to large numbers of products being withdrawn from the market causing disruption to users, reduction of patient choice and stifling of product innovation; further notes that such disruption will increase the burden on overworked specialist nurses who will be required to reassess patients and prescribe alternative products; notes with concern that this outcome would impact on patients and their carers currently living at home with multiple sclerosis, spinal injury, bladder cancer, spina bifida, stroke, bowel cancer and many other serious conditions; welcomes the launch of the Urology Trade Association (UTA) representing 95 per cent. of the urology appliance manufacturing industry; and calls on the Department of Health to reconsider its proposals and work with the UTA, patient organisations and all other stakeholders to ensure that any changes to the current payment system do not lead to withdrawal of specialist NHS prescription products or otherwise adversely impact upon patients' quality of life.

This motion has been signed by a total of 107 MPs, 3 of these signatures have been withdrawn.