• Holland And Barrett Vitamins Gibraltar Offer

Mar 07 - GSD Insist on Government Clarity Regarding Subsidised Therapies

ghaRegarding the matter of GHA subsidised therapies, the Opposition has insisted that the Government is once more ‘demonstrating a lack of appreciation of healthcare methodology’.

The party adds, ‘as has sadly become the usual style of the GSLP Government, they have again refused to deal with the issue and resorted to spin and personal insults rather than clear up for the electorate their policy on GHA-subsidised, but not (National Institute for Health & Clinical Evidence) NICE-approved, therapies.  When will the Government begin to answer questions put to them rather than maintaining their policy of ‘shooting the messenger’?'

The GSD explains that dispute the Government’s claim, they do not seek to deprive people of the two therapies in question, their concern is to understand the policy behind the decision to fund both NaPro technology for couples having trouble conceiving, and oxygen therapy. The Party goes on to insist that there is no scientific evidence to support the Government’s decision, to exclude other therapies including chiropractic treatment, reflexology, acupuncture and aromatherapy.

Commenting on the issue, Isobel Ellul-Hammond noted, ‘we are not against couples choosing to use NaPro Technology in order to maximise their fertility if they so wish, but people are entitled to know and are entitled to understand the criteria that they need to satisfy in order to get their complementary, or not NICE-approved, therapies paid for.  It may well be that Dr Cortes did consult with the GHA’s health professionals prior to the approval of these two therapies over others, but he needs to say so and explain the policy. ‘

In the Ministry for Health’s response, Dr. Cortes insists that the GSD, when in office, ‘failed to heed or even request, and blatantly ignored, scientific and other technical advice in so many different areas, including the environment and planning’

The statement goes on to add that the GHA’s Management Board, during that time, was replaced with a board that lacked any medical representation.

Dr. Cortes goes on to say, ‘The Opposition seems to be accusing the Government of not having had a balanced approach to what they call alternative therapies. They seem to have forgotten that when in Government, they supported a main cancer charity by funding sizeable premises, an initiative that the present Government continues to wholeheartedly support. The reasons why this charity was chosen over so many others in Gibraltar that work so hard and are so deserving have never been sought.

The Opposition states in its latest release that it does not wish to deprive people of the therapies in question. The fact is that they DID deprive people of these therapies when they were in Government. They did not support the Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre and not only did they not offer NaPro technology, but they took no steps to introduce IVF, even though this had been offered in the UK NHS, with the NICE Guidelines they now seem to want to live by, for many years. They therefore did nothing at all to help childless couples.’