They Don't Seem To Have The Same Worries Over Other Procedures....

Leah Spasova, a psychologist from Oxfordshire, spent a decade fighting to obtain female sterilisation at her local trust. She was denied the procedure, which blocks or seals the fallopian tubes to prevent pregnancy, with the care board citing potential regret and costs as its reasoning.

Personal regret? When did that start to concern them? 

Now the health ombudsman has found in her favour and criticised the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board for its inconsistent approach.

The investigation found that the ICB had denied women NHS funding based on the risk of 'regret' while not applying the same a criterion to vasectomies. It concluded the policy was unfair as well as inconsistent and based on subjective reasoning.

At last, some common sense. Can we please see it expanded to other procedures?  

Paula Sussex, of the PHSO, said: 'The issue highlighted in Leah's case about the commissioning and managing of services by ICBs is not an isolated one. 'We are concerned that there may be similar wider problems affecting multiple areas of healthcare, and we have concerns that the system is not consistently meeting people's needs and is letting patients down.'

Not consistently meeting people’s needs? The could be the very strapline of the NHS!