Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government on what basis, if any, the NHS Mandate requires that investment in NICE-recommended treatments for hepatitis C be limited to avoid disinvestment in other health services.

The NHS Mandate requires healthcare expenditure to be limited to the resources made available by the government. The range of potential treatments which could improve patients health exceeds the funding made available to the National Health Service, therefore increased investment in one area has an opportunity cost on the ability to invest in other areas. NHS England is investing in the rollout of Hepatitis C treatment in full accordance with National Institute of Health and Care Excellence guidance, with an expected doubling of the number of patients benefiting from new treatment to 10,000s in the coming year.