Fight for Raymond Liggins' Sight

This week's front page features the plight of Raymond Liggins, from Nuneaton, who is fighting to get treatment on the NHS that will save his sight.

He is already blind in one eye, and is slowly losing sight in the other eye. He is also deaf in one ear. On top of all that, he looks after his stroke-victim wife, Olive.

Raymond has used up nearly all his life-savings on paying for injections that are saving his sight. Now he needs NHS help, but Warwickshire PCT are refusing treatment.

We believe he should have the treatment. If you do too, please post your comments here and we will ensure they get to the PCT.

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The Full Story

A DESPERATE battle to save a Nuneaton man’s sight is being backed by MP Bill Olner.
Raymond Liggins is facing a race against time to convince Warwickshire Primary Care Trust to fund treatment that could stop him going blind in his right eye.
The age-related macular degeneration has already left him blind in his left eye, and he is also deaf in one ear.
The 76-year-old former Dunlop worker cares for his stroke victim wife, 72-year-old Olive, and the couple have raided their life-savings to pay for treatment.
The money is now running out for the pensioner’s vital Lucentis injections and the couple have issued a desperate plea for the trust to change its mind.
They are being backed by the Royal National Institute for the Blind and the Macular Disease Society.
And Nuneaton MP Bill Olner says he will do all he can to help.
Raymond, of Windmill Road, said: “When the right eye started to go the same way as the left, I knew I had to do something straight away. I went to the University Hospital in Walsgrave and they rushed everything through because of my history.
“They said it was the same thing but they couldn’t do anything for me and I’d have to go private.
“After three injections I could read four lines on the eye chart. It was bringing me back. Now, that’s up to nearly five.
“I’ve paid for four injections, at £1,520 each, and now the money is running out. Trials show that in 95% of cases, people having 20 injections have their sight successfully restored.
“I’m so depressed thinking that I could go blind because the trust won’t pay for my treatment. It’s morally wrong.”
Olive said: “Raymond’s consultant at University Hospital has even written on his behalf to say he should have the treatment but it hasn’t made any difference.
“If he goes blind we will cost the state a lot more money, for care through social services, than it would cost to fund this treatment.”
David Rose, chief executive of trust, said: “Warwickshire PCT commissions an extensive range of treatments and health services for the local population of 500,000 in line with national NHS guidelines.
“The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) issues guidance to the NHS on treatments and procedures following extensive trial and review and Warwickshire PCT follows all mandatory Nice guidelines.
“The drug Lucentis is not in these guidelines so it is not routinely commissioned by this PCT, along with other PCTs in the West Midlands.”
Bill Olner said: “I’m absolutely more than happy to try and convince the trust to change its mind on Mr Liggins’ behalf if he gets in touch with me.
“I urge him to get in contact and I will do all I can to help.”
Barbara McLaughan, RNIB campaigns manager, said: “It’s an absolute disgrace that he is effectively being told to pay up or go blind.”
She urged the trust to reconsider its decision and adopt revised Nice guidelines which she said meant that Lucentis could be prescribed on the NHS.