A WELSH cancer patient is planning to move to Burnham so he can obtain a vital drug to help prolong his life.

David Southwood, 53, who is battling kidney cancer at his home in Newport, has been told the drug axitinib isn’t freely available to treat cancer patients in Wales.

However, by moving to his mother Anne Woodward’s caravan at Burnham Holiday Village, he can register with a surgery in the town and, because of different prescribing rules, he will have access to the treatment.

David said: “The situation is very frustrating for me. I have lived here in Newport since I was born. My wife Angela has made some inquiries and if we move to Burnham we have been told we should have access to the drug which can help me live for longer.

“It isn’t a cure but it would extend the time I have left. I don’t want to move as it would mean losing my consultant who has become a friend to me over the years but it could be the only way I get hold of the treatment.

“There are other cancer patients in Wales who are being forced to move to England to get the drugs they need, which is unfair.”

David believes that without the drug he will live for “a couple of months at most”.

David’s case is to be heard by an independent panel next week which will review his right to have the drug.

His wife, Angela, said: “We don’t know how this will go as they haven’t spoken to us. I have contacted a surgery in Burnham about getting the drug. Moving from Wales is a relatively simple process and it’s the same as if we were looking to retire as of course we are UK citizens. There should be equality of access to drugs.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Axitinib is currently being appraised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and in March 2014 it issued interim guidance, for consultation.

This guidance recommended axitinib as an option for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. We were expecting the final appraisal to be published in early summer but NICE suspended the process in June. “We have no information about when the appraisal process will be completed.”

A spokesperson for Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group said: “We provide general funding for cancer patients and comply with NICE guidelines.

But each case has to be assessed so the patient would have to talk to a doctor or specialist on the treatment which would be of the most benefit.

In addition there is a Cancer Drug’s Fund, managed by NHS England, which will allow patient access to drugs which would allow terminal patients to extend their life.”