Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 16 February (HL14437), what evidence they have reviewed on the economic value and cost-effectiveness of point-of-care diagnostic testing technologies for cardiovascular disease prevention.

We recognise the value of point-of-care diagnostics in enabling earlier detection, reducing avoidable hospital admissions, and supporting more personalised care.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced clinical guidelines and heath technology guidance which make recommendations on the use of point-of-care testing (POCT) for a range of conditions and diseases. Decisions as to whether NICE will create new, or update existing, guidance are overseen by a prioritisation board, chaired by NICE’s Chief Medical Officer.

Decisions on the use and implementation of POCT are made locally by integrated care boards and providers, who design services in line with local population health needs and priorities.

The Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Modern Service Framework will be published later this year and will prioritise ambitious, evidence-led, and clinically informed approaches to prevention, treatment, and care. As part of its development, we are engaging widely to identify and consider the role of emerging innovations across the CVD pathway.