Children with rare illnesses lose out to health service reforms

Health service reforms have made it more difficult for some children with rare illnesses to get the right treatment, it was claimed yesterday, writes Louise Jury.

Although many health authorities pay to refer patients to a centre of excellence, some parents have to fight for their child to see the appropriate expert. The problems of finding the right medical specialist were raised by the family support charity, Contact a Family, as it launched an awareness week for those affected by rare diseases.