Are Lymphoedema Clinics funded by the NHS?

[jeanie jean]

In general, can anyone tell me if Lymphoedema clinics are funded by ths NHS?

I have a genuine reason for asking this question

Jean

[Lynora]

If a clinic is within an NHS facility such as a hospital or hospice, then yes, treatments would be done under the NHS.  There are a number of private lymphoedema clinics around the country, either sole-traders or employing several therapists  - these generally require payment for treatments.   

Has this helped?  If you want more specific info, you can always PM me.

[jeanie jean]

Hi Lynora

That was the impression I was under. My clinic is in our local hospice.and the hospice is in the grounds of the General Hospital.

Last week my nurse supplied me with a compression bra and I have found this really helpful. So this week I asked her she could give me another one (for washing, changing etc) or did I have to get it on prescription from my GP.

She told me that she couldn't give me another one, due to the cost being around £80 and my GP can't write a prescription as they are not available on prescription.

She then went on to tell me that the clinic can only issue patients with one every 6 months due to the fact that they are a charitable trust and not funded by the NHS!!!!

I am purchasing another one through the clinic and that is not a problem.

I am just gobsmacked to find out my clinic depends on fundraising, etc to be in operation. What a sad state of affairs.

Actually my blood is boiling and I intend to take this matter further, by writing to my local MP. Before I did this I had to make sure that all Lymphoedema Clinics were not charitable trusts

[queenie]

hi there I am new to the site and new to lymphodoema I have just had bandage treatment and wear the stockings I live in cumbria and was told that funding was available if the patient was going to oncology and the lymph had been caused by the treatment otherwise the nhs didnt fund it at all  This might be different in different areas

[beccaboo]

Hi there,
I came here today to ask anyone if they had been charged 2 prescription charges for 1 prescription for 2 pairs of support tights - this is my first prescription so I didn't know if that was standard of if my pharmacy were making their own rules up - however reading some of the replies it seems I am lucky to be getting them on prescription at all !
The lymphoedema clinic is in our local hospice and I would much rather make the donation to them than pay 2 charges to the NHS. I had also wondered if these prescriptions could be covered by the new exemption cards for cancer patients as my lymphoedema is a direct result of cancer treatment but I assume the answer to that is no. This lack of funding is very sad.
At my appointment it was found that the swelling was in both legs upper thigh (worse on left leg) and left abdomen  and also just below my left knee (which I was unaware of) .
How long do each pair of support tights last and what is the best way of washing them ?
Many thanks for any input.

[jeanie jean]

Hi Beccaboo

Firstly I live in England so cannot comment on what happens in Scotland or Wales

After breast surgery, my oncologist told me to apply for an excemption certificate which I obtained from my GP. This covered anything she or my GP would prescribe for me in the future.It also covers prescriptions which are not for cancer related conditions.

My sleeves were not prescribed for me until after my 60th birthday and of course by this time I was excempt from paying prescriptions anyway.

Basically whether you are excempt because you have a certificate or excempt because of age, excempt means excempt.

So if you have an excemption certificate and you live in England then you should pay nothing.

Regards
Jean

[beccaboo]

Hi Jean

Thanks for the reply.

I am in England but I don't have an exemption certificate as I have been OK since my surgery in 07 and wasn't having any problems until recently. I don't know if I would qualify. I have another 20 years before I am age exempt from prescription charges so although the charges themselves don't sound too bad in isolation if you multiply that up for a couple of times a year for the next 20 years it soon mounts up !

Does anyone know roughly how much the tights cost to buy privatley ?

Many thans again ( and thanks for the pm from dovebabysilk)

[Lynora]

To buy privately?  An arm and a leg!!!  You should be able to get them through your lymphoedema clinic, especially since you have developed secondary lymphoedema.  If they say that you now need to get them on prescription, and you cannot get exemption, then contact the Prescriptions Pricing Authority, and apply for a quarterly, half-yearly or annual precription cover charge.  I think the quarterly one costs about £40 (not sure about England) and this covers all prescription items for that time period, which should include compression garments.   Either call your clinic, or talk to your pharmacist about the options.

[beccaboo]

Thanks for that.

Maybe if I give a couple of legs I won't need the tights anymore ha ha.

Do you know the procedure for applying for the exemption ?

[jeanie jean]

Hi

You can order on line. See http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1127.aspx

Best wishes
Jean

[beccaboo]

Many thanks, I will have a look.

xx

[Gillypod]

At my last visit to my LO clinic, I was told that once your correct size was agreed, you would no longer attend the clinic on a regular basis as your own GP would wirte a repeat prescription on a twice yearly basis.  I was told that this would not apply in my case as I require different measurements for each leg.  Both legs require the same amount of pressure support, but both length and width are drastically different due to an old injury.  In fact the manufacturers print a large L & R on the tag so I dont get confused and put the wrong stocking on the wrong leg  .  The down side of this is that once you wash the stockings a few times the writing on the tag fades a bit and I have to make sure that I measure each stocking against the other one to work out the left and right.  The difference in length between the two legs is enough to ensure that I don't get mixed up (often  )

My next appointment is the 26th of March, if they tell me anything has changed I will let you know.