A BUNBURY campaigner is celebrating after the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) approved certain kinds of Alzheimer’s medication.

Leila Potter, who runs the Bunbury Care Agency, based in Tarporley, has been campaigning for years to get NICE to approve drugs including Aricept, Reminyl and Exelon.

Now, in the face of new scientific evidence, NICE has reversed its earlier refusal to approve the drugs, which means every NHS trust in the country has to pay for them to treat Alzheimer’s patients.

Previously, it was up to individual trusts to decide whether to fund the drugs, which cost about £2.80 per patient per day.

Leila said: “I have worked many years for the Alzheimer’s Society with strong support from my MP Stephen O’Brien. Our voices were a ‘candle in the wind’ until last week.

“Suggestions that doctors should see patients earlier to test for Alzheimer’s Disease could be an excellent idea, as it would prevent patients suffering from late diagnosis.”

“Thousands of sufferers may now have a life they could never have enjoyed before.”