HEALTH chiefs have been forced to review their decision to deny a pensioner treatment for a life-threatening condition following an intervention by Nicola Sturgeon.

The U-turn comes after Joyce Juszczak, whose case was highlighted by The Herald, travelled to the Scottish Parliament with her daughters to press for access to the drug eculizumab, for the rare and potentially deadly blood condition, paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH).

The 65-year-old, who has undergone nine blood transfusions in the past year and described herself as a “walking timebomb”, was refused the drug by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC). Further appeals to the health board were also rejected.

Her case prompted patient groups to call for the Scottish Government to end what they say is a postcode lottery in health provision, as the drug would be available to Mrs Juszczak if she was living south of the Border.

Now it has emerged that NHSGGC has agreed to re-examine the case after Ms Sturgeon’s call for a review following last month’s meeting with Mrs Juszczak and her family.

In a letter to one of Mrs Juszczak’s daughters, Beverley Hardie, Ms Sturgeon said: “I am sure you will understand that it would be inappropriate for me to intervene in such clinical decisions.

“However, as discussed at our meeting … the current arrangements provide the facility for NHS boards to review individual cases where a patient’s clinical circumstances change.

“On this basis, I have asked NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde to review your mother’s clinical case and they will be in touch in due course.”

An NHSGGC spokeswoman told The Herald: “We can confirm that, as requested, a further review of this case is under way. We will contact the patient as soon as the review has been concluded.”

It has also emerged that Ms Sturgeon has agreed to meet members of the PNH Alliance pressure group who are concerned about the issue of patient access to medicines. The group said she previously declined a meeting.

PNH is a potentially deadly condition that destroys red blood cells and leaves victims at risk of kidney failure and potentially fatal blood clots.

Patient groups have used Mrs Juszczak’s case to highlight how Scotland is failing more than 350,000 people affected by a rare disease. They have demanded an advisory group is set up to deal with specialist medication, similar to that already established in England and Wales.

Mrs Juszczak’s failed appeal to a health board panel came just a matter of weeks after another patient, William Devine, died within days of receiving a similar rejection letter.

The health board previously said Mrs Juszczak’s case had been considered under guidelines set out by the Scottish Government and taking into account advice from the Scottish Medicines Consortium and individual patient circumstances.

It said there were “very sound clinical reasons” why she was not prescribed the drug.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium, which decides which newly licensed drugs represent good value, ruled against eculizumab in November last year, saying it has yet to be convinced of the cost-effectiveness of the £250,000-a-year drug. It is prescribed in England and Wales.

Ms Hardie said last night: “I’m encouraged by the letter received from Nicola Sturgeon stating that she has asked NHSGGC to re-assess mum’s condition as I feel it will become clear to them that mum’s condition has greatly deteriorated since the initial application for the drug eculizumab was made.

“Mum suffers from extreme fatigue, requires frequent rest and cannot pursue any of the social activities that she used to enjoy. Her quality of life is very poor now and it is very worrying that she is also frequently having painful oesophageal spasms.

“It is now a matter of urgency that my mum receives this drug, not only to give her a better quality of life but before she suffers from renal impairment or a thrombosis which is a common cause of death for this condition.”

Ms Sturgeon opened the door to a meeting with the PNH Alliance after a question by Ken Macintosh, the Eastwood Labour MSP, saying she would be “happy to meet any interested group” to discuss how to build on work already done to improve access to clinically beneficial drugs.