Douglas Bader Foundation » NHS

New limbs for quadruple amputee Harley Slack

wendy — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:10:21 +0000

(What a shame that it should be down to fund-raising to provide the money for prosthetics that should surely be available through the NHS. These prosthetics are, after all, required as the direct result of an illness that Harley was unlucky enough to contract in the first place. It seems to be adding insult to injury to leave Harley and his family dependent on good will for the prosthetics he needs to help him to start to live an independent life again.

We wish Key 103 the best of luck with their appeal

Four year old Harvey Slack lost both arms and legs after contracting meningitis in a case that doctors said was the worst they had ever treated.Now Key 103 is attempting to come to his aid and raise £60,000 through their Cash for Kids initiative to pay for a full set of prosthetic limbs – £40,000 for a pair of legs and £20,000 for a pair of hands.

The Mike and Chelsea in the Morning show is the hub of the fundraising activity, as the team looks to outdo the £54,000 raised last year.

Presenter Mike Toolan said that they were looking to prove that “Manchester has the biggest heart” and raise as much money as possible.

www.justgiving.com/manchesterkids/

www.key103.co.uk

(Thanks to Steve McNeice for sending this article)

Fellow meningitis amputee Helen Smith offers hope to Harley Slack

By Aidan McGurran 26/06/2009

Helen Smith knows better than most what brave meningitis lad Harley Slack is going through.

Just like the four-year-old, she too had all four limbs amputated when she was struck down by the disease.

Realising the daunting future he and parents Samantha and Adam face, Helen, 34, has sent them a letter of hope.

She told them: “Harley can lead a full life.” Just 10 years ago the Mirror reported how Helen’s own dreams of a bright future were shat-terewhen she contracted meningococcal septicaemia at 22.

She had just started studying for a doctorate but awoke from a coma to find both legs amputated. Later she had part of both arms removed.

Helen, from Norwich, vowed to lead a normal life but her pleas for realistic-looking prosthetics that worked were turned down because they were only available privately.

But Mirror readers were so moved by her plight they donated over £50,000 to pay new limbs. In a moving letter to Harley’s parents, Helen says: “It breaks my heart to see another child lose all their limbs to this terrible disease.

‘”As someone who has survived this disease I want you to know there is light at the end of a tunnel.

“I can drive, cook, do the gardening, write and draw. I’ve learnt to swim again and done lots of sports. Maybe Harley will be the next Paralympic champ!” Miriam: Page 42

HOW TO DONATE

Go online to: harleyslackfund.giving.officelive.com To make a donation, send cheques to: Harley Slack Fund c/o David Hulbert, 39 Nottingham Avenue, Brinnington, Stockport, SK5 8ET

(Thanks to Steve McNeice for this article)

Patients to Trial Personal Budgets in up to Half of PCTs

wendy — Mon, 18 May 2009 11:46:19 +0000

14 May 09

By Nigel Praities

Plans to give patients cash payments to purchase NHS services will go ahead next year, in the face of fierce opposition from GP leaders.

The controversial direct payments will start as a pilot of 5,000 patients in up 75 PCTs with the aim of leading to a much wider rollout.

The schemes will include end-of-life care, long-term conditions, stroke, substance misuse and mental health.

The final make-up of schemes has yet to be decided, but the DH wants to try using both notional healthcare budgets and direct payments – as currently used in social care – during the pilots.

Direct payments of NHS funds are currently illegal, but the Department of Health is pushing ahead with legislation in the Health Bill to enable the NHS to make cash payments to patients from 2010.

GPs are likely to be expected to take central role in the pilots, advising patients how to spend their on healthcare or other services.

Speaking at the Integrated Health Conference in London, Angela Hawley, self care lead for the Department of Health, admitted the pilots were ‘terribly contentious’ but were part of a move to place the patients at the centre of their care. ‘These will put people in driving seat on health and well-being,’ she said.

Professor Jon Glasby, co-director at the Health Services Management Centre at the University of Birmingham, welcomed the move as direct payments had been successful in social care.

‘They are very popular with patients and have been shown to have better outcomes for the same amount of money,’ he said.

But GPC chair Dr Laurence Buckman slammed the pilots, saying they were against the founding principles of the NHS.

‘What happens when it runs out? If you give people a wad of money then what happens if they use it on their income tax, or petrol, or whatever?

‘This is the absolute antithesis of the NHS, providing the greatest good for the greatest number of people and to manage risk as high up the chain, so that individual bits of the health economy do not run out of money to treat the condition.

‘I am astounded the Government has decided to go down a route that is so irrational,’ he said.

How pilots will work

Three models of personal healthcare budgets will be tested in the three year pilot programme.

1. Notional personal budget – patients are given information about the cost of treatment options and are given a theoretical budget to administer

2. Real personal budget held by the NHS – patients are allocated a real budget held by an intermediary on the patients behalf e.g. GP, care co-ordinator, advocate. The intermediary helps the patient choose the services they will use

3. Real budget as direct payment – patients are given cash payments and are expected to purchase and manage their care themselves

Source: Department of Health

(Our thanks to Steve McNeice for sending us this article.)