Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the suitability of NICE's process of medicines appraisal for new cell and gene therapies.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and is responsible for the methods it uses in the development of its technology appraisal and highly specialised technologies recommendations. In March 2016, NICE published a summary report of work undertaken in collaboration with the University of York on the assessment and appraisal of regenerative medicines and cell therapy products. This is available at the following link:
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the roles of the members of the (a) steering group, (b) working group and (c) each of the task and finish groups for NICE's review into its methods and processes.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The steering group and working group members and their roles are published on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) website at the following link:
NICE has advised the Department that it plans to publish the names of those people involved in the task and finish groups on its website as soon as they are confirmed.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he publish the names of the members of the (a) steering group, (b) working group and (c) each of the task and finish groups for NICE’s review into its methods and processes.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the suitability of NICE’s process of medicines appraisal for new cell and gene therapy therapies.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps NICE will take in its review into its methods and processes to review the (a) appraisal process and (b) pricing mechanisms for future cell and gene therapies.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently reviewing its methods and process for technology appraisals and highly specialised technologies. This will include the methods and processes for specific types of technologies such as cell and gene therapies. NICE plans to engage with partners (including industry and patient groups involved with cell and gene therapies) throughout 2019 and 2020.
NICE has set up groups made up of academics, patients, life sciences industry and system partners that will use their collective expertise to help shape the process and methods for cell and gene therapies. A dedicated patient working group has been set up to ensure NICE gets feedback from patients and patient organisations (including those that would benefit from cell and gene therapies). Proposals will also be presented for six weeks of formal public consultation in the summer of 2020.
The development of pricing mechanisms for future cell and gene therapies is undertaken by NHS England’s Commercial Medicines Directorate. NICE’s Commercial Liaison Team enables appropriate translation of NICE Committee decision-making to NHS England’s Commercial Medicines Directorate, but does not have a role in the development of the pricing mechanisms.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what impact assessment is being undertaken as part of the consultation on proposals to change the reimbursement arrangements for NHS dispensing contractors.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department is consulting on changes to the reimbursement of pharmacy contractors. The Department acknowledges in the consultation document that dispensing doctors are one of the groups impacted by these reforms. An impact assessment has been published alongside the consultation document which will be updated with information provided by respondents to the consultation. Changes to payments for dispensing doctors are made through the general practitioner contract.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to engage with representatives of dispensing practices on the proposed changes to the reimbursement for the costs of drugs dispensed by NHS contractors.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department has informed all relevant stakeholder representative bodies, including the British Medical Association and the Dispensing Doctors’ Association, about the consultation and has offered meetings to explain the proposals and answer any questions. Some representative bodies have taken up this offer.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the prevention Green Paper before the summer recess.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
The Green Paper ‘Advancing our health: prevention in the 2020s’ was published on 22 July 2019.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patient organisations are involved in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s review of health technology assessment methods and processes.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
There are three patient/lay representatives on the methods working group with a wide range of experience, covering a range of topic areas, reflecting the programmes under review. Two of the patient/lay representatives also belong to the Patients Involved in NICE coalition.
Patient groups will be involved in the review of each of the specific methodological areas as detailed in the paper presented to the NICE board on 17 July 2019. Experts in the area will be invited to participate in topic specific methods task and finish groups.
NICE has established a dedicated patient working group. There are six patient organisation representatives on the group, including those who belong to the Patients Involved in NICE coalition. The group will work directly with patient/carer groups to coordinate the patient perspective on both methods and process. A stakeholder workshop with patient groups was held in January 2019 that included representatives from 22 patient organisations.
The patient working group has recently disseminated a survey to patient umbrella groups to develop a clear understanding of the patient perspective on both methods and processes. The survey runs until 5pm on Monday 12 August 2019. It will be promoted via social media and sent directly to groups working with NICE. Patient organisations can communicate with representatives on the methods working group and patient working group outside of this survey.
Patient organisations will have the opportunity to comment directly on proposals during the public consultation in summer 2020.
NICE is implementing other opportunities to encourage more patient group involvement throughout the review via provision of a subscription based bulletin for updates and information (which people can subscribe to via their website) and exploring arrangements of additional engagement sessions (i.e. webinars), as and when appropriate.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what opportunities patient organisations will have to make representations to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s review of health technology assessment methods and processes.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
There are three patient/lay representatives on the methods working group with a wide range of experience, covering a range of topic areas, reflecting the programmes under review. Two of the patient/lay representatives also belong to the Patients Involved in NICE coalition.
Patient groups will be involved in the review of each of the specific methodological areas as detailed in the paper presented to the NICE board on 17 July 2019. Experts in the area will be invited to participate in topic specific methods task and finish groups.
NICE has established a dedicated patient working group. There are six patient organisation representatives on the group, including those who belong to the Patients Involved in NICE coalition. The group will work directly with patient/carer groups to coordinate the patient perspective on both methods and process. A stakeholder workshop with patient groups was held in January 2019 that included representatives from 22 patient organisations.
The patient working group has recently disseminated a survey to patient umbrella groups to develop a clear understanding of the patient perspective on both methods and processes. The survey runs until 5pm on Monday 12 August 2019. It will be promoted via social media and sent directly to groups working with NICE. Patient organisations can communicate with representatives on the methods working group and patient working group outside of this survey.
Patient organisations will have the opportunity to comment directly on proposals during the public consultation in summer 2020.
NICE is implementing other opportunities to encourage more patient group involvement throughout the review via provision of a subscription based bulletin for updates and information (which people can subscribe to via their website) and exploring arrangements of additional engagement sessions (i.e. webinars), as and when appropriate.