Ceredigion AM Elin Jones has called on the Welsh Government to create a unified national system for drugs for rare cancers and other diseases.

At present, patients whose consultants advise that they require drugs which are not on the main approved list have to make an Individual Patient Funding Request (IFPR). But each health board operates a separate IPFR panel, meaning that there are inconsistencies in how patients are treated across Wales. Sometimes two patients treated by the same doctor can be dealt with differently if they live in different health board areas.

In its recent report on the delivery of cancer treatment, the National Assembly’s Health and Social Care Committee advocated the creation of a new national system, but the Welsh Government has rejected this recommendation.

Speaking in an Assembly debate on cancer care this week, Elin Jones, Plaid Cymru Shadow Health Minister, said:

“The evidence that we heard in the Health and Social Care Committee was that individual IPFR panels were too isolated. A representative of the Royal College of Radiologists told us that he knew that IPFR applications from him would be treated differently by different health boards.

“Of course, as most complex cancer patients are seen at specialist regional hospitals now, all specialist consultants now deal with patients who live across two or three—or, in the context of Velindre, maybe six—health board areas.

“This inconsistency is unfair to patients, but it is also unfair to the consultant oncologists. Therefore, there is a postcode lottery within the regime in Wales, and I have yet to be convinced that the Minister’s opposition to the creation of a national regime is adequate.

“There is a new model being put in place, and we will review how things improve over the next few months. We must ensure equitable access for patients who require rare drugs.”