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  1. 04-11-2005, 12:26 AM #1
    karansaraf
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    Postcode Lottery

    What do you think about the so called "postcode lottery"? What does it mean and what can be done to improve the situation?
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  2. 04-11-2005, 01:32 AM #2
    heelah
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    Quote Originally Posted by karansaraf
    What do you think about the so called "postcode lottery"? What does it mean and what can be done to improve the situation?

    So what is the Postcode Lottery???

    Me...!!
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  3. 04-11-2005, 01:47 AM #3
    anup
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    The postcode lottery is the healthcare that you recieve according to where you live. hence 'postcode-lottery'. I'll put a post up next week telling a bit more about it, if no one else does. *just short on time*
    1st year Medic & Rep
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  4. 04-11-2005, 02:03 AM #4
    Meg01
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    i'm not an expert on this, but my understanding is that the term 'postcode lottery' has come about from situations in which people have been unable to receive a certain treatment, particaularly a drug therapy, because of their geographical location. For example, one health authority chooses to fund the drug, whilst another chooses to use their budget elsewhere. This issue has far-reaching implications for inequalities in access to healthcare and potentially therefore inequalities in health.

    A recent issue to highlight this has been the herceptin breast cancer drug. A certain genetic screening to see if you are eligible for the drug was only offered by some health authorities (although recently announced that this would be offered UK wide).

    Knowing that the Goverment is moving towards a more decentralised health service, with budget decisions in the hands of the PCTs (and the potential to be more autonomous - e.g Foundation Health Trusts), I can't help thinking that this won't be doing much for this so-called postcode lottery. With the Government having made (and proposing) major changes for the NHS, how does this decentralisation help these inequalities?
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  5. 06-11-2005, 03:00 PM #5
    macco88
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    This postcode lottery became very apparent with the drug beta interferon used for treating ms, with some patients getting it for free and others having to pay several thousands of pounds for it. This postcode lottery led to the setting up of NICE in 99, which more or less solved the problem, but put forward problems of its own. Good luck, to me as well
    Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.
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