A Glasgow cancer patient who paid £38,000 for treatment that is available free to patients 40 miles away has been given all her money back after her case was highlighted by the Evening Times.

 

Jean MacDonald, from Carmyle, was forced to shell out the money for a treatment for ovarian cancer recommended by specialists after NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde refused to foot the bill.

Patients in Edinburgh have always had access to the drug, when recommended by cancer specialists.

Jean's case was highlighted at the Scottish Parliament, when First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was challenged to explain why some patients were being denied life-extending drugs because of where they live.

Now, five months on, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has agreed to refund the full cost of the treatment to Jean, 55, who is still undergoing treatment, after Glasgow Labour councillor Anne Simpson battled on her behalf.

Councillor Simpson said: "I spoke to Jean and she is absolutely delighted. It was very difficult for the family to come up with that amount of money. She is just getting back what she is entitled to."

Ms Macdonald was recommended for the drug Bevacizumab (Avastin) by her consultant, Professor Iain McNeish at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre.

Although it has not been approved by the Scottish Medicine Consortium (SMC), the drug has has been shown to increase survival rates in women with advanced forms of ovarian cancer.

Professor McNeish lodged a number of appeals on his patient's behalf but they were all rejected.

Jean, who is a carer for her 85-year-old mum, later learned from him that other patients in Glasgow had recently been given the drug.

Patients in Glasgow now have access to the drug on the NHS, in certain cases when recommended by doctors.

A spokeswoman for NHSGGC said: "Ms McDonald's case was reviewed and we can confirm that 100% of all costs charged by NHSGGC have been reimbursed."

The Scottish Government announced at the start of last year that Scotland's systems for approving and accessing new medicines for use in the NHS would see a "step change."

A new peer-approved clinical opinion system to tackle regional variation was due to be introduced in May, however Labour has criticised delays to the changes.

The government said "interim arrangements" are in place which have led to a "significant increase" in the numbers and proportion of requests approved last year with 92 per cent of requests approved, compared with 66 per cent in 2011/12.

The First Minister also said work was under way to improve decision-making at the SMC, which looks at the use of drugs in the NHS and health boards.

She said at the time: "There will always be difficult decisions here, and it will not be possible under any circumstances to have a position where every single drug is always approved for use, but what I want to ensure is that we have confidence in the decision-making process."