Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford on 9 September 2019 (HL17756), what steps NHS England and Public Health England are taking to support the appropriate introduction of novel antimicrobial products in the period before the pilot scheme to test an alternative model of antimicrobial provision is concluded.

Work is underway to develop and test an innovative model for the evaluation and purchase of antimicrobials. The United Kingdom continues to promote this project internationally to encourage other countries to test similar models which, together, achieve the right incentives to stimulate investment in antimicrobial research and development.

New antimicrobial products not being tested through this project will be purchased and prescribed in line with established practice. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) supports stewardship of current and new antimicrobials through its Managing Common Infections antimicrobial prescribing guidelines for all care settings. NICE also produces Evidence Summaries of the best available information on an antimicrobial to guide decision-making, both nationally within NHS England and locally, for example within a clinical commissioning group, a National Health Service trust, or across a local health economy.

The 2019 Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access is designed to help ensure the affordability of branded medicines to the NHS, whilst supporting innovation and improved access to and uptake of cost-effective medicines, including new antimicrobials, for the benefit of patients.