P.C.T operation funding

[delandjulie]

Can Any One Give Me Any Advice On How - Where To Appeal On Funding Or Lack Of Funding For My Daughters Operation!!!!

 

She Was Born With Polands Syndrome And Needs Breast Augementation To Correct This Defect But My Local P.c.t Have Refused To Fund It On Cosmetic Grounds?? Although Her Consultant Wants To Do The Op His Hands Are Tied By The P.c.t

Any Help Would Be Much Appreicated Thanks

[GlasweJen]

From my knowledge it wouldn't be an augmentation that your daughter requires, the operation would involve unwebbing her fingers and a construction of the sternal part of her pectoralis. If your daughters case is not severe and they have worked out the fingers so that she can have normal use of her hands then the NHS are entitled to knock her back for breast surgery, if the muscle they are building a breast onto isn't strong enough then surgery may actually make her worse.

 

If you can prove that your daughter suffers from psychological problems as a direct result of her appearance then you may get some NHS funding.

[delandjulie]

hi thanks but her hands are fine (smaller one side but she can live with that!) its the surgery! shes now 17 , had an op last year for reconstruction but it didnt work so her consultant wants to do a second oP to make things even looking both sides! she (and us) went to hell and back ,fluncked school, drank, drugs, police but she pulled herself back with the hope of this op so she can look Normal!!

[GlasweJen]

It may actually be an age thing then, they don't like operating on under 21s in general because she's not finished growing. I know that's not the ideal but maybe if you got a second surgeon to back up your own doctor then they might listen up a bit? Alternately if you know of any charity who support Poland Syndrome they may be able to help you get funding.

[honey5]

ask the consultant wishing to carry out the procedure to involve a psychologist?

honey x

[delandjulie]

i was a bit puzzled how we could prove psycological damage - but i'll certainly research the charity's idea THANKS

[demon_x_slash]

Jen made a very good point about her age, too, and the fact that she's still growing. You may need to prepare her for a bit of a wait - after all, she could possibly get a better result from an operation if her body could completely handle it, rather than if she went ahead now and had to have another to correct further in a few years time.

As for psychological damage, that comes under things like not wanting to go out, depression, low self-esteem, low self-image, etc., stemming from how she thinks that she looks and feels as a result of her condition. The assessor (GP, consultant etc.) needs to feel that it's made a sufficiently large impact on her life in order to agree on psychological damage.

[GlasweJen]

I only pulled the age card because I'm only 21 and they had to place my pacemaker almost at my collar bone because apparently messing about with breast tissue at my age (body doesn't age the same as everyone else, physically I'm about 17) had potential to cause a whole load of growth problems with the breast tissue.