Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that NICE appraisal decisions for (a) progressive and (b) degenerative diseases are taken in a timely manner. .

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. To enable rapid access for NHS patients to effective new treatments, NICE aims, wherever possible, to issue recommendations on new medicines close to the point of licensing. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.

In line with commitments set out in the Regulation Action Plan, NICE is continuing to transform its technology appraisal process and is aiming for 60% of technology appraisals to be completed in 240 working days after the start of the appraisal. NICE is also working to align its processes with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, supported by information sharing and joint scientific advice, to speed up decision making and reduce the administrative burden for the system and industry, allowing new and innovative technologies to get to patients faster.