Hospitals Charging for Miscarriage: D&C

That article showed extremely poor quality journalism. The first long quote is from some randomer on Facebook! Then there's a typo in the list so it says 'does not includes' - which is it?
It's also nothing to do with miscarriage, as PPs have pointed out.

'Now been cancelled'

Like many operations?

This has been cancelled now anyway

www-mirror-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/nhs-hospital-stops-plan-charge-16548975.amp?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mirror.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fuk-news%2Fnhs-hospital-stops-plan-charge-16548975

A nurse friend of mine had a D&C in the States following a miscarriage. She commented that she would not have expected this treatment in the UK.

I've had two D&C's in the UK following a miscarriage.

It's outrageous! Fuck me, getting into debt because of a miscarriage?

I notice there is no charge for so called 'sex' change.

Got problems with your pregnancy failing - give us your credit card details.

Need some breasts you wonderful and very brave 'woman'? Have a seat.

They don't mean D&C after a miscarriage. They are talking about D&C for heavy menstrual bleeding, obviously helpful for some women, but not in the same boat as not receiving emergency/ urgent surgery.

They are procedures on a list deemed "low clinical value". The other operations on the list are not female specific, ear pinning etc.
Non-emergency surgeries that commissioners have deemed to not be cost effective. In my area they are also not available on NHS and patients would need to contact a private surgeon independently. This scheme means that there is a standardised pathway for seeking private surgery with a set cost.

In my area I think D&C for heavy menstrual bleeding is available still, but is restricted to patients who have tried x, y, z other treatments and meet other criteria. I agree that it would be better if NHS could provide more choice for patients, but it is a funding issue for whole NHS, not directed at women particularly.

I think the article is rather misleading. NHS commissioners have to follow NICE guidelines and these suggest that D&C is not an effective treatment:

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng88/chapter/Recommendations

There is also evidence that there is a risk that the procedure increases the evidence of preterm births in subsequent pregnancies eg

www.evidence.nhs.uk/search?ps=40&q=Dilatation+and+curettage

A nurse friend of mine had a D&C in the States following a miscarriage. She commented that she would not have expected this treatment in the UK.

Commissioners have to follow NICE guidelines and the process by which each guideline is developed is very extensive and transparent. They can respond to individual requests but the presumption is that guidance applies to the majority of clinical situations

Oops

Anyway Google NHS Warrington my choice

Message about media and then page not found

Page has been pulled

whh.nhs.uk/page_not_found

It's a price list for those not entitled to nhs care. Not a new thing. Just spin.

After reading more into it, this isn't about privatising the NHS. It's about the following:

1- this isn't about denying patients their procedure or making NHS patients pay for their treatment. The NHS remains 'free at the point of care'.

2- the waiting list for all procedures/ operations are getting longer, with the government scrapping some targets as they were increasing ie embarrassing the government. Can u imagine waiting 12months for a knee replacement operation. I can see why some patients would pay for it trading the financial cost against poor mobility and pain.

3- NHS can offer procedures/ operations as private cases, thereby increasing the income generated by the Trust. The government has allowed this, and cut funding in real terms. Hospitals are struggling with increased demand with less resources, so you can hardly blame them for increasing income by offering procedures as private vs NHS.

I understand the concerns expressed here about privatisation by stealth but with regard to treatment after miscarriage then it would appear that surgery is still available on the NHS if clinically indicated.

The list also calls the procedure a D+C but if my memory serves me correctly the procedure carried out after a miscarriage is called "evacuation of retained products of conception" or ERPC. Happy to be corrected by anyone with more up to date knowledge of gynae surgery.

I think it's also important to recognise the risks of anaesthetic and it seems eminently sensible to avoid this risk if a safe non surgical option is available.

I would guess that the charge for a D+C relates to procedures carried out that are not funded by commissioners because the evidence for efficacy is low. This is no way denies the issue of inequality in access to healthcare which, from personal experience, I think is a very real problem for many women.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/miscarriage/what-happens/

I think it's awful. I agree about women's health care being trivialised by patriarchal structures (including health authorities). And I think underfunding has put pressure on NICE to withdraw funding in various areas.

But, to be fair, this list does not include anything NICE agrees the NHS should fund. NICE does not approve NHS funding for D&Cs for heavy periods.

NICE guidelines recommend that D&C is not offered as a diagnostic or treatment option for heavy menstrual bleeding, as there is very little evidence to suggest that it works to investigate or treat heavy periods. Ultrasound scans and camera tests, with sampling of the lining of the womb (hysteroscopy and biopsy), should be used to investigate heavy periods. Medication and intrauterine devices (IUS), as well as weight loss (if appropriate) should be used to treat heavy periods.

www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/04-b-pb-04-07-2018-ebi-consultation-document.pdf

It's definitely nothing to do with miscarriage and is in relation to heavy periods.

However I still feel it's an outrage and demonstrates that women's health issues aren't been taken seriously. Women will be expected to put up with crippling monthly pain and flooding?

Is it perhaps for women who decline the option of things like the coil or the pill for whatever reason.....and I do understand not wanting to put hormones in your body. I had an ablation for heavy periods and I would have been very upset if I'd been told to put up with it. I was constantly anemic so it affected my health.

@Bollockwort as an aside please explore EA. Best thing I ever did. Transformative! I wish I hadn't waited so long

Women's stuff is often deemed unnecessary/ frivolous / cosmetic when it's not

Anything related to breasts / vaginas / wombs etc

Just boring old misogyny

I saw the list and it looked like it was in relation to heavy periods.

I don't understand how they decided what went on the list - why isnt ivf payable? (I think this is awful obv but dont get how they've come up with what is needed and what isnt)

I'm assuming this is for non essential D&C i.e. not after a miscarriage.

I've had three D&Cs, two following miscarriages and one as a precursor to endometrial ablation.

In the latter I understand charging, in the former it's barbaric.

Sorry for you loss Mammy

OP, you are not wrong, this is awful.

Toasters should have been tossers 😂😂