Hair Depilation (Including laser therapy and electrolysis) Individual Funding Request Policy Date Adopted: March 2016 Version: 1516.v1
Document Control Title of document Hair Depilation Policy Authors job title(s) IFR Manager Directorate(s) SCW CSU IFR Document status 1516.v1 Supersedes N/A Discussion and Approval by the 09 March 2016 Somerset CCG Clinical Commissioning Policy Forum (CCPF) Discussion and Approval by N/A Somerset CCG Clinical Operations Group (COG) Date of Adoption March 2016 Publication/issue date March 2016 Review date NICE publication or 3 years following issue Application Form to complete Generic IFR Application Form Equality and Impact Assessment 20151230 v1 Distribution SCCG Web Site IFR Page SCCG GP Pathway Navigator SCCG Contracts Team - Contract Variation SCCG GP Bulletin Somerset CCG GP Practices Medical Directors: Taunton & Somerset NHS FT Yeovil District Hospital NHS FT Royal United Hospital Bath NHS FT United Hospitals Bristol NHS FT Weston Area Health NHS Trust Other NHS treatment providers SCW CSU IFR Hair Depilation Policy for SCCG 1516.v1 December 2015 Page 2
THIS TREATMENT IS NOT ROUTINELY COMMISSIONED FOR ANY PATIENTS AND INDIVIUDAL FUNDING PANEL APPROVAL MUST BE SOUGHT PRIOR TO REFERRAL - THIS POLICY RELATES TO ALL PATIENTS HAIR DEPILATION Date of Issue: March 2016 Hair Depilation is not routinely funded by the CCG. General Principles Funding approval will only be given in line with these general principles. Where patients are unable to meet these principles in addition to the specific treatment criteria set out in this policy, funding approval will not be given. 1. Funding approval must be secured by primary care prior to referring patients seeking corrective surgery. Referring patients to secondary care without funding approval having been secured not only incurs significant costs in out-patient appointments for patients that may not qualify for surgery, but inappropriately raises the patient s expectation of treatment. 2. On limited occasions, the CCG may approve funding for an assessment only in order to confirm or obtain evidence demonstrating whether a patient meets the criteria for funding. In such cases, patients should be made aware that the assessment does not mean that they will be provided with surgery and surgery will only be provided where it can be demonstrated that the patients meets the criteria to access treatment in this policy. 3. Where funding approval is given by the Individual Funding Panel, it will be available for a specified period of time, normally one year. Background Hirsutism Hirsutism can't be cured, but there are treatments to help control the condition. There are a number of things you can do yourself that may help. If you are overweight, losing weight can reduce the production of androgens. Patients concerned with the appearance of their body and facial hair should be advised about managing their condition through conservative methods including shaving, waxing, and depilatory creams although such treatments are also not routinely commissioned or funded by Somerset CCG. SCW CSU IFR Hair Depilation Policy for SCCG 1516.v1 December 2015 Page 3
Policy Criteria Hair depilation will be considered if any of the following criteria are met: Following reconstructive surgery leading to abnormally located hair-bearing skin The patient is undergoing treatment for pilonidal sinus, to reduce recurrence Patients who have an underlying congenital and/or endocrine abnormality resulting in exceptionally excessive hair (for example, patients with polycystic ovary syndrome) will be considered AND There must be reason to believe that treatment will lead to improvement in health status All applications must be accompanied by an opinion from a secondary Care Consultant (that is, a dermatologist or endocrinologist) Photographic supporting evidence must be sent with the application form. Must be for face and neck only Where funding has been authorised it will be for a fixed number of sessions only up to a maximum of 8 Top up treatments/sessions are not routinely funded AND In order for funding to be agreed there must be some unusual or unique clinical factor about the patient that suggests that they are exceptional as defined below: Significantly different to the general population of patients with the condition in question. Likely to gain significantly more benefit from the intervention than might be expected from the average patient with the condition. Patients who are not eligible for treatment under this policy may be considered on an individual basis where their GP or consultant believes exceptional circumstances exist that warrant deviation from the rule of this policy. Individual cases will be reviewed at the Commissioner s Exceptional Funding Panel upon receipt of a completed application form from the patient s GP, Consultant or Clinician. Applications cannot be considered from patients personally. SCW CSU IFR Hair Depilation Policy for SCCG 1516.v1 December 2015 Page 4
Provided these patients receive the full support of their general practitioner, or clinician, in pursuing their funding request an application may be made to the Individual Funding Request Panel for consideration. It is expected that clinicians will have ensured that the patient, on behalf of who they are forwarding the application for, is appropriately informed about the existing policies prior to an application to the IFRP. This will reassure the Panel that the patient has a reasonable expectation of the outcome of the application and its context. For some procedures, criteria relating to BMI and smoking status have been included. These criteria have been agreed following discussions with plastic surgeons and take into account their impact on clinical outcomes including wound healing. If you would like further copies of this policy or need it in another format, such as Braille or another language, please contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service on Telephone number: 08000 851067. Or write to us: NHS Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group, Freepost RRKL-XKSC-ACSG, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 8HR or Email us: pals@somersetccg.nhs.uk References Approved by (committee): SCCG CCPF Date Approved: 09 March 2016 Version: 1516.v1 Produced by (Title) IFR Manager EIA Completion Date: 20151230 v1 Undertaken by (Title): IFR Co-ordinator Review Date: Earliest of either NICE publication or 3 years from issue SCW CSU IFR Hair Depilation Policy for SCCG 1516.v1 December 2015 Page 5