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Complicated paperwork and tight deadlines are preventing trusts from claiming back the cost of cancer drugs under patient access schemes (PAS), research has revealed.

Such schemes allow the cost of expensive new medication to be shared between the NHS and pharma, yet a poll of 31 English NHS trusts indicates only half the costs have been reclaimed by the NHS.

The study, published in Clinical Pharmacist journal, investigated the cases of 756 patients between 2007 and 2009. With 50 per cent of cases not being refunded, it is claimed that the NHS could lose out on potentially millions of pounds.

An over-complex refund system, where trusts have to 'track' patients, use correct forms and meet strict pharma deadlines are blamed for the failed reimbursements.

Steve Williamson, co-author of the report and consultant pharmacist at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said he fully supported the wider access to cancer drugs, but found that the schemes had 'not been executed very well'.

He continued: 'For example with bortezomib, in principle this is a very good scheme because if it doesn't work you get the money back, but if for some reason you miss making one claim within the timeframe allowed it costs £12,000.'

The Department of Health acknowledged that the system needs refining, and confirmed it has set up an advisory panel with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

Patient access schemes came under the spotlight earlier this year when the British Oncology Pharmacy Association highlighted a lack of capacity to manage the schemes.

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