Brachytherapy Treatment
In First Minister’s questions today I asked Rhodri Morgan about the funding for Brachytherapy treatment in Wales.
There is a significant number of people in Wales who need this treatment, and Health Commission Wales, which is responsible for the funding, just doesn’t have the funds and although there may be funds available elsewhere in Wales it doesn’t seem that it is getting to the people who need it for this vital treatment for prostate cancer.
I think Rhodri Morgan does share my concern to be fair but he seems to feel that the money could come from local health boards, and I don’t think that is the case, certainly not directly.
As a result of the questions in First Minister’s question time today from me and from others, I hope now that this will be given the urgent consideration that it deserves. I certainly know from my own post bag and from speaking to people that treatment has been withdrawn at Manchester, Liverpool and Oswestry for North Wales patients, and there clearly is a massive need that needs to be met here and we need to move quickly to meet that need.
