ICB failure creating ‘absolute nightmare’ for vulnerable patients needing covid treatment

Many vulnerable patients are struggling to access covid treatments after commissioning responsibility switched to integrated care boards this week, charities have warned.

Approximately two million vulnerable patients must now contact local services themselves to access treatments designed to combat covid infections, such as the antivirals Paxlovid and Sotrovimab. Integrated care boards are expected to coordinate and fund “equitable” access.

Prior to 27 June, identification of patients and the delivery of treatment was coordinated nationally under pandemic arrangements.

However, a group of 20 patient charities have written to Steve Barclay warning that most ICBs have not drawn up plans to deliver this new responsibility, leaving patients and primary care clinicians unclear on how to access the treatments.

“Despite continually raising our concerns with those carrying out the planning, implementation, and communication of this [policy], we now find that we are in exactly the position we warned against,” they said. 

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Source: HSJ, 3 July 2023