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Retrospective applications, those received after treatment has taken place, will not be supported. The Fund has developed extensive experience regarding which are the most appropriate and cost effective hospitals for particular treatments. Retrospective applications give no opportunity to select the best hospital or to negotiate more favourable terms than the applicant can.
Operations booked, but not undertaken before approval has been granted, cause additional urgent work for the Petitions Department staff, potentially causing delay to other applications. In either situation, the Fund's ability to control how money budgeted for patient care should be spent is reduced. It is therefore vital that applicants should not enter into any arrangements for private medical treatment until a firm, written undertaking to meet the costs has been received from the Fund.
The requirement to be facing a long wait for NHS treatment clearly precludes funding in support of emergency cases. In such situations, and others where the Petitions Committee deem it to be in the best interests of an applicant to remain within the NHS, support will not
be provided.
Both medical and lay members of the Board attend the Petitions Committee of the NMSF. It meets monthly
to discuss specific applications, or to confirm the cases that have been approved between meetings. All applications are handled as quickly as possible. The fastest turn round of an application is believed to be three days, and that for an applicant from New Zealand.
The total cost of supporting the 5000 applicants who have so far benefited from the Fund is in excess of £21 m - money that has been so generously donated for the benefit of others.
The success of the 2002 Staffordshire Festival in raising over £2.5m is the latest in a series of magnificent fundraising events that has seen the NMSF survive its formative years. Collectively these have allowed the proud boast that no application has ever been rejected through a lack of available funds.
As the Fund continues
to move forward, faced with increasing demand and increasing costs, the need for generosity continues.
A generosity that means so much to those who are sick and in need. A sentiment
that is best described by someone who has benefited from that generosity:
'I cannot believe that life is worth living again. I will never be able to thank you all enough for your most generous gesture. I will be eternally grateful for the rest of my life. I would like to say God bless you all.'
The Fund can only react and provide support when it is made aware of a particular need. So please, if you know someone who needs help, tell that person about the Fund and tell the Fund about him or her. The staff at NMSF will be happy to provide advice direct, or alternatively please ask your Lodge or Provincial Almoner.
How the money was spent in 2001/2002
Urlogy 1.7%
Gynae 2%
Other Ortho 4.5%
Eyes 4.6%
General Surgery 4.8%
Heart 20.4%
Knees 25.6%
Hips 36.5%
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Copyright 2002-2007
MQ Magazine
Web site created by Mark Griffin
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