I would like to share a petition with you and ask that you could share it amongst your friends and family and assist me in reforming the NHS to include prosthesis on a voucher system. Similar to the one used to fund wigs, I believe that every woman should have the right to choose where she has her prosthesis fitted, in a professional yet intimate environment as opposed to a quick ten minute timed slot in a hospital.
I run a bra and prosthesis centre of excellence as well as a cancer support centre and believe that each of us as individuals should be given time and consideration during this difficult time - I hope you will all agree and unite to get this change.
My fitting was done in a private room at my local hospital with a very caring and considerate Breast Care Nurse. It took nearly an hour to find something that I was happy with and she was more than happy for me to try on as many as it took in order to find one that I was happy with.
I wish everyone’s experiences were more like mine!
Oh wow so do I, we have heard some horror stories my own included. It has a lasting phsycological effect how you are treated when you are losing your breasts as you will well know, i am glad you were treated respectfully.
I’d just like to share my experience in a NHS hospital.
I was told that I was in a stress-free zone so if at any time I did not wish to continue, I could leave and come back later. I was offered a drink.
I was told that I could take as much time as I wanted. In the event, it took about an hour of relaxed fitting.
The fitter had a range of garments in various sizes, like a tight T-shirt and a satin drape for me to wear to check that the prosthesis looked good in all circumstances.
I really could not fault the NHS service that I received.
The OP suggests that I may have been very lucky.
The wigs come under the NHS exemption certification, when I was diagnosed I had to fill in a form for exemption of prescriptions which made me exempt for 5 yrs. This included a Wig. I have attached the details here for you.
I would also like to let people know that if you have one of these exemption cards you can also get mileage allowance and parking fees back at the hospital pals. Not many people know this and Its vital to share the knowledge.
Smallstar, wigs don’t come under the normal 5-year exemption certificate, just scripts. Your link says:
"You can get free wigs and fabric supports if you:
are under 16
are 16-18 and in full-time education
are a hospital inpatient
are a war pensioner and the wig or fabric support is for your accepted disablement and you have a valid war pension exemption certificate
You are entitled to help if you receive either:
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, or
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Pension Credit Guarantee Credit,or
You are named on, or entitled to (use your award notice as evidence) an NHS tax credit exemption certificate, or
are named on a valid HC2 certificate (full help with health costs)"
Macmillan told me (and their printed info and your link agree) that travel refunds are income and savings dependent and are not an automatic entitlement.
The important thing is that you MAY be entitled if you have a low income, it’s not automatic and it raised false hopes in my case.
I received a Free wig, it was automatic, i was not on a low income and so do all patients at local hospitals to me, I know this as the cancer support centre arrange them to be trimmed. My post is about giving people the choice where to go for it to receive a prosthesis fitting,helping people to have that freedom at a traumatic time. I was also given a five year prescription card which was not means based either.
Thanks for signing Elinda, I am just helping highlight this petition for the MD of a major mx lingerie provider, the official press release will be revealed very soon, we thank you for the support x