Yervoy is a very good treatment option, and depending on what's offered in your geography may be the best immediate treatment. It has been known to produce deep and very durable responses to melanoma. Trouble is, it's greatest response is limited to a small subset of the population and the medical profession doesn't have a handle on who will benefit the most from this treatment (more genetic research may be needed). It can also take time to kick-in, and if the disease is aggressive may not provide enough runway, or use the time better spent on faster acting treatments. The newest treatments (anti-PD1) appear to be faster acting and effective on a larger sector of the melanoma population, though the jury is still out on durability ( there are also fewer side effects than Yervoy). The hitch (at least in the US) is that the new class of treatment has only been approved by FDA after a demonstrated failure of Yervoy. That said, there are ongoing trials with Anti-PD1 drugs, including ones that combine it with Yervoy. Latest data show this combination to be the most inclusive, with very deep response. In theory, immuno-therapies work anywhere in the body, though bones are particularly challenging ( my own disease has definite deep resistant roots in the bones despite what I would consider effective treatment elsewhere). So, I would never wave anyone off Yervoy–it has truly been a life raft for so many, but it's not a bad idea to survey the landscape a bit in the UK, even to talk with a melanoma specialist there ( if your friend's MD isn't recognized as such).
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