WIREDGOV

The Patients Association remains concerned about the progression of the Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Bill. From the outset, the Patients Association has felt that this Bill is ill-judged, dangerous and unnecessary. 

As the Bill reaches its Report Stage, the Patients Association has serious concerns about the Bill’s impact on patient safety and medical innovation. We have joined with a number of charities and health organisations to call on MPs to remove Clauses 3 and 4 from the Bill, and provide more information about the proposed database for innovative treatments.

Katherine Murphy, Chief Executive of the Patients Association said: 

“The Patients Association has been opposed to this Bill since its inception last year. We support all attempts to drive medical innovation that save lives and benefits patients. However the Patients Association feels that as it stands, this Bill would distort the concepts of consent, accountability and patient safety.

The Patients Association is pleased that amendments have been put forward to remove Clauses 3 and 4 from the Bill. We call on MPs to support any amendments that would scrap these clauses, as they would undermine both patient safety and clinical responsibility.

We also urge the Government to provide more details about the proposed database for innovative treatments. There has not been enough information or assurance provided about the purpose of the database. The Patients Association cannot support this Bill unless these issues are resolved.”

Notes to Editors: 

The Patients Association is an independent national health and social care charity established over 52 years ago, which has a long history of campaigning to ensure that the voice of patients is heard within the UK Health and Social care system.

For further information please contact Matthew Tisi, Communications & Public Affairs Officer, on 020 8423 9111, or email matthew@patients-association.com or call 07779 004898

Visit our website at www.patients-association.org.uk