To: Department of Health and Social Care
Spend NHS money on patients NOT big Pharma
The Department of Health and Social Care need to acknowledge that when it comes to stoma care a one size fits all approach does not work and as such they need to work with stoma supply manufacturers to ensure that British stoma patients are given the exact same freedom of choice as American stoma patients when it comes to being able to chose the correct medical appliance for their own individualised medical needs.
Why is this important?
This poll regards the issue of stoma-care in the UK and my firm belief that stoma supply manufacturers are taking financial advantage of the NHS at the expense of many stoma patients quality of life.
A stoma is formed during a surgical procedure in which a piece of bowel is brought out onto the surface of the abdomen and a bag or pouch is attached to the skin with adhesive in order to collect bodily faeces.
I have had a stoma for over 30 years and until quite recently virtually all makers of stoma bags gave patients a choice between a pouch with a filter or a pouch without a filter. Essentially, the filter is a small hole pre cut into the pouch to allow gas to escape. Now, whereas this can be a much valued feature for many stoma patients, unfortunately it is also well documented - even amongst Government approved stoma support charities - that these filters can regularly fail, sometimes within a matter of hours which then will allow not just offensive odour to seep through but in many instances even actual faeces which for these patients means having now to endure nothing short of a continual living nightmare. Of course, when asked about this, the manufacturers of such products will simply advise changing the bag more frequently but as a disabled person who has to either allow up to an hour (plus) to perform this task or rely on the help of carers, this is not always practical. This is before you take into account the extra financial cost to the NHS this approach places upon an already over burdened NHS.
To better illustrate this point, prior to the stoma pouch I had successfully used for the better part of 30 years was discontinued, I was able to enjoy at least four days continual wear with no adverse effects. This came at a unit cost to the NHS of £3.17. The replacement (now with in built filter) which, due to the odour and faeces regularly seeping through, affords me one days' wear has a unit cost to the NHS of £5.14
I calculate this alone equates to an increased cost to the NHS of some 548% over a four day period.
As the NHS is already spending approximately 400 million pounds per annum on stoma supplies, is it really unreasonable to ask the Government to stop mollycoddling and increasing the profit margins of these manufacturers giving them carte blanche to force a medical product upon individuals which for a great many of us is simply not fit for purpose and instead direct that saved money back into the NHS where all users of the NHS (those with a stoma and those without a stoma) can reap the rewards?
To further highlight this issue, a recent Parliamentary Report (Hansard 17 May 2023) stated that when it comes to stoma supplies a 'one size fits all" approach should not be adopted as this can impact greatly on a users quality of life yet until the Government steps in and forces stoma supply manufacturers to allow British stoma patients to be able to choose the stoma product suitable for their own individual medical needs in exactly the same way as American stoma patients are able to do, isn't this exactly what is happening??
At the end of the day, nobody ever asked to undergo stoma surgery which, by the very nature of the procedure means being dependent on what is essentially a thin plastic bag glued to the outside of your abdomen to collect your bodily faeces - which in many cases such as my own, can be for the remainder of your life - is challenging enough but now being denied the correct medical appliance to make our quality of life just that little bit better is nothing short of abhorrent. Surely, even an animal has the right to basic human dignity😕
May I thank you in advance from the bottom of my heart for adding your name to the signature list and by doing so hopefully, make the Government act upon this issue.
A stoma is formed during a surgical procedure in which a piece of bowel is brought out onto the surface of the abdomen and a bag or pouch is attached to the skin with adhesive in order to collect bodily faeces.
I have had a stoma for over 30 years and until quite recently virtually all makers of stoma bags gave patients a choice between a pouch with a filter or a pouch without a filter. Essentially, the filter is a small hole pre cut into the pouch to allow gas to escape. Now, whereas this can be a much valued feature for many stoma patients, unfortunately it is also well documented - even amongst Government approved stoma support charities - that these filters can regularly fail, sometimes within a matter of hours which then will allow not just offensive odour to seep through but in many instances even actual faeces which for these patients means having now to endure nothing short of a continual living nightmare. Of course, when asked about this, the manufacturers of such products will simply advise changing the bag more frequently but as a disabled person who has to either allow up to an hour (plus) to perform this task or rely on the help of carers, this is not always practical. This is before you take into account the extra financial cost to the NHS this approach places upon an already over burdened NHS.
To better illustrate this point, prior to the stoma pouch I had successfully used for the better part of 30 years was discontinued, I was able to enjoy at least four days continual wear with no adverse effects. This came at a unit cost to the NHS of £3.17. The replacement (now with in built filter) which, due to the odour and faeces regularly seeping through, affords me one days' wear has a unit cost to the NHS of £5.14
I calculate this alone equates to an increased cost to the NHS of some 548% over a four day period.
As the NHS is already spending approximately 400 million pounds per annum on stoma supplies, is it really unreasonable to ask the Government to stop mollycoddling and increasing the profit margins of these manufacturers giving them carte blanche to force a medical product upon individuals which for a great many of us is simply not fit for purpose and instead direct that saved money back into the NHS where all users of the NHS (those with a stoma and those without a stoma) can reap the rewards?
To further highlight this issue, a recent Parliamentary Report (Hansard 17 May 2023) stated that when it comes to stoma supplies a 'one size fits all" approach should not be adopted as this can impact greatly on a users quality of life yet until the Government steps in and forces stoma supply manufacturers to allow British stoma patients to be able to choose the stoma product suitable for their own individual medical needs in exactly the same way as American stoma patients are able to do, isn't this exactly what is happening??
At the end of the day, nobody ever asked to undergo stoma surgery which, by the very nature of the procedure means being dependent on what is essentially a thin plastic bag glued to the outside of your abdomen to collect your bodily faeces - which in many cases such as my own, can be for the remainder of your life - is challenging enough but now being denied the correct medical appliance to make our quality of life just that little bit better is nothing short of abhorrent. Surely, even an animal has the right to basic human dignity😕
May I thank you in advance from the bottom of my heart for adding your name to the signature list and by doing so hopefully, make the Government act upon this issue.
