Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:31 pm on 3 July 2019.

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Photo of Angela Burns Angela Burns Conservative 2:31, 3 July 2019

Minister, it's entirely about money and about resources. And, as I've said, you've got the resources there—I can pop you in my car, drive you down there, and show you them. The money is not very great. I totally understand that if you're talking about a very, very expensive treatment, then you might look at the cost-benefit analysis. I can totally understand that, if you're talking about an illness where there are a number of different solutions, and this just happens to be one in the mix, and one we choose not to support for whatever reason. But this is the only treatment. Once you've gone blind, you then have to go onto a waiting list for a corneal transplant—they're not easy. So, my constituent, who's 19 years old, and is a student, went and borrowed £2,000 off his employer, because nobody told him about the IPF. He borrowed £2,000, and went and had one of his eyes done; he's now scoping for the other £2,000 to have the other eye done. He's 19 years old—he doesn't want to go blind, he's got his whole life ahead of him. And the question he asked me to ask you is: 'Why, for the cost of £2,000, are the Welsh NHS happy to see me lose my sight?'