Emollient rationing - Contact your MP

Are you currently struggling to access appropriate dermatological treatments or have experienced the rationing of some emollients?

At a recent meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Skin (APPGS), concerns were raised about how some patients may be struggling to access treatments for their psoriasis or are experiencing the rationing of some emollients.

This is worrying as it could threaten the health and well-being of millions of people with inflammatory skin conditions and is contrary to clinical guidelines which recommend their use.

At the same meeting, some MPs commented on how they are very rarely contacted by constituents with skin care issues, with some never having received any correspondence on this subject at all.

MPs are elected officials who can attempt to provide help, both locally and confidentially on a variety of psoriasis treatments, conditions and issues. They can write or speak to local health agencies and commissioners on your behalf, and also seek to influence national policy by raising the broader issue within Parliament.

If you have any significant concerns with your dermatology care, such as being wrongfully denied treatments, then you should consider writing to your MP so that they can help address it and are kept aware of the patient perspective. A letter does not need to be extensive or long and should simply succinctly outline your grievances and the steps you would like the MP to take.

MPs can only correspond with their own constituents, so if you are not sure who your local MP is, you can find out here by entering your postcode. There is also a suggested template which you can edit and adapt to send to your MP available here.

Hopefully your letter will lead to your MP taking up the cause on your behalf within Parliament. If enough MPs are prepared to send questions to the Department of Health and Social Care, then the APPGS will be able to encourage the MPs leading on this issue to go to the Secretary of State for Health with our concerns and seek meaningful commissioning change.

Once you have written your letter, please don’t forget to let us know and do keep us updated on any actions your MP is prepared to take on your behalf.