The claimant suffered breast cancer. She sought treatment from the defendant with a drug called Herceptin, and now sought judicial review of the refusal of such treatment. Various stages in the licensing of the drug were yet to be completed. It was said that the policy of only providing Herceptin in exceptional cases only was unlawful as arbitrary.
Held: The Authority had made it clear that cost was not the issue. Some authorities had decided to fund all women in the eligible group: ‘Many people will think that the more generous policy of authorities such as those listed . . . above is a better one than Swindon’s. Which is the better policy is a matter for political debate, but it is not an issue for a judge. The question for me is whether Swindon’s policy is irrational and thus unlawful. I cannot say that it is. ‘ It had not been shown that the policy was contrary to any guidance, nor was it unlawful under English or human rights law.
Judges:
Bean J
Citations:
[2006] EWHC 171 (Admin)
Links:
Statutes:
National Health Service Act 1977 1 2 3
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Citing:
Cited – Regina v Secretary of State for Social Services ex parte Hincks 1980
The respondent’s duties under s3 of the 177 Act are not absolute. . .
Cited – Regina v North Derbyshire Health Authority ex parte Kenneth Graeme Fisher Admn 11-Jul-1997
The court considered the duty of the authority to take account of guidance issued by the Secretary of State: ‘If the circular provided no more than guidance, albeit in strong terms, then the only duty placed upon health authorities was to take it . .
Cited – Regina v North and East Devon Health Authority ex parte Coughlan and Secretary of State for Health Intervenor and Royal College of Nursing Intervenor CA 16-Jul-1999
Consultation to be Early and Real Listening
The claimant was severely disabled as a result of a road traffic accident. She and others were placed in an NHS home for long term disabled people and assured that this would be their home for life. Then the health authority decided that they were . .
Cited – Regina v Cambridge and Huntingdon Health Committee Ex Parte B CA 10-Mar-1995
A decision by a Health Authority to withhold treatment for a patient could be properly so made. It was not ordinarily to be a matter for lawyers. A Health Authority’s withholding of treatment, which might not be in a child’s simple best interests . .
Cited – North West Lancashire Health Authority v A D and G CA 29-Jul-1999
A decision not to fund gender re-assignment surgery was operated as a blanket policy without proper regard for individual cases and so was unlawful as an effective fetter on the discretion which the Health Authority was obliged to exercise. A lawful . .
Cited – In Re Findlay, in re Hogben HL 1985
A public authority, and the Prison Service in particular, is free, within the limits of rationality, to decide on any policy as to how to exercise its discretions; it is entitled to change its policy from time to time for the future, and a person . .
Cited – Sharp v Wakefield HL 1891
Lord Halsbury LC considered the power of the duty of magistrates to consider the wants or needs of the neighbourhood and the nature of discretion: ‘discretion means, when it is said that something is to be done within the discretion of the . .
Cited – British Oxygen Co Ltd v Board of Trade HL 15-Jul-1970
Cylinders containing hydrogen gas were being put on a trailer pulled by a tractor for the purpose of delivery to the premises of the purchaser. One of the issues before the court was whether the function of the hydrogen trailers and the cylinders . .
Cited – Adam, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department; Limbuela v Same; Tesema v Same HL 3-Nov-2005
The applicants had each entered the UK with a view to seeking asylum, but having failed to seek asylum immediately, they had been refused any assistance, were not allowed to work and so had been left destitute. Each had claimed asylum on the day . .
Cited – Nitecki v Poland ECHR 21-Mar-2002
The applicant was an elderly man suffering from a life-threatening condition known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He was prescribed the drug Rilutek to treat the disease but could not afford to pay for it.
Held: His complaints to the . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Health, Human Rights, Administrative
Updated: 24 July 2022; Ref: scu.238528
