Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answers of 27 February 2015 to Questions 225235 and 225238, by what process NHS England is developing the interim commissioning policies referred to in those Answers; whether funding has been allocated to support those policies; and whether those policies have been discussed by the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group.

NHS England’s process for developing interim commissioning policies involves evidence review, recommendation development, and service and financial impact assessment.

NHS England’s Clinical Reference Groups (CRGs), Public Health England and other stakeholders are involved in these processes.

The recommendations of CRGs are considered by the relevant Programme of Care Board and then the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group (CPAG).

The draft interim policy for treatment of hepatitis C in patients with cirrhosis is following this process. NHS England has advised that it will be considered by the Programme of Care Board at the end of March and then by CPAG.

The financial impact assessment of the interim policy is continuing. This will inform the decision on financial planning that NHS England will take with regard to this policy.