BROMSGROVE'S Tory MP has called on the Secretary of State for Health this week to demand the town's Alzheimer's sufferers get a better deal with new prescribed drugs.

Julie Kirkbride has called for Alan Milburn to order Worcestershire Health Auth-ority to authorise GPs to prescribe drugs such as Excelon to sufferers in the area so that they do not have to pay privately for them.

The call follows reports that the authority has refused to act on a directive from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to make new drugs, which are used for the treatment of Alzheimers disease, nationally available.

Miss Kirkbride said: "It is simply scandalous that Worcestershire Health Authority refuse to act on the NICE decision to make these new Alzheimer's drugs available free to the people of Bromsgrove.

"The whole point of NICE is to ensure fair and equal access to drugs across the UK and it just isn't on that the people of Bromsgrove should be denied their rights in this way."

Professor Brian McCloskey, director of public health at Worcestershire Health Authority said: "The authority has agreed in principle the business plan for prescribing Alzheimer drugs in Worcestershire.

"However, under the guidance issued by NICE, it is not simply a question of consultants prescribing the drug.

"There needs to be a proper assessment process with specialised clinics to ensure the drug is prescribed and monitored properly and as soon as the necessary support is in place the drugs will be available."