AddThis SmartLayers

Man's sight saved as Press steps in

The Press in York has heled to save the sight of a pensioner who was denied treatment on the NHS.

Seventy-six-year-old Les Howard has an age-related degeneration in his right eye but was told he would have to lose sight in one eye and develop a vision-threatening condition in the other before he could be given the injections he needed.

The Press stepped in and brokered a deal which saved his sight, arranging for him to have free treatment at a private hospital, which would normally cost between £700 and £1,000 per injection.

Nuffield Hospital will meet the cost.

Les told the paper: “It’s beyond my wildest dreams, it really is. I thank The Press enormously.”

Marge Falconer, general manager of the Nuffield Hospital, Harrogate, said: “This is Nuffield Hospitals’ 50th anniversary year and we have been looking for a way to mark our golden anniversary locally.

“When we read about Mr Howard we realised that providing the treatment he needs at no cost to the patient would be a fitting gesture.”

North Yorkshire and York PCT said 45 requests have been received for the Lucentis drug since it received its European licence on January 23. It has approved 38 of the cases and turned down seven.