The reported decision by NICE to deny the English and Welsh access to Velcade, a drug clinically proven to extend the lives of those with myeloma, is yet another example of how the devolution set in play by the Labour government has lead to blatant unfairness in the provision of healthcare in Britain. Whether NICE feels Velcade is worthy of being provided on the NHS or not is not my point here. If we believe in a nationalised healthcare service, ‘free’ at the point of delivery to all Britons irrespective of their means, how can we tolerate any regional discrepancies in provision? All Britons should have equal access to medical therapy deemed appropriate by NICE.
The state of the Union is concerning me. If only this cancer drug case was the first example of one rule for the Scots, one rule for the rest of us. What about long-term residential care? What about Parliamentary votes on foundation hospitals and tuition fees?
What I think is particularly galling for the English is the fact that more money is spent per head on healthcare and education in Scotland. This has been the case for many years. At the same time the Scottish are ‘over-represented’ at Westminster, possess a Parliament (West Lothian question?) and contribute less per head to the Exchequer.
I am a Unionist at heart. I want to see that Union continue. It will not if these issues are not dealt with. With such blatant unfairness on the front pages the resurgence of English nationalism on the political stage is not far off. I wonder what the response will be to the Conservatives doing very well in England and yet failing to stop a Scot becoming Prime Minister…..
