Branded Medicines Voluntary Scheme and the Life Sciences Vision

Debate between Anne Marie Morris and Will Quince

Wednesday 3rd May 2023 Westminster Hall

[Anne Marie Morris]

I apologise for interrupting the Minister’s flow. He is right that there was a forecast, but my understanding is that it was wrong and that there was an under-growth in all those years bar one. The consequence was that it was not possible for industry to have the predictability that he outlines. Forecasting will clearly always be a challenge, but, as I understand it, in this case it did not give industry what it needed.

[Will Quince]

I hear what my hon. Friend says, but we are talking about what is now history. I do not think anybody is realistically advocating any kind of change to the existing VPAS scheme—in effect, we would be saying that there would be a retrospective rebate to big pharma, despite what was agreed and negotiated. I do not think anyone here is proposing that today. What we are proposing is something that we get right—something that is totally transparent and open for the future in the new VPAS scheme. I know that getting this absolutely right will be at the forefront of the minds of the ABPI and industry as we approach new negotiations.

I want to briefly touch on international comparisons. While direct comparisons of rebate rates can be misleading —as has rightly been pointed out, they are not necessarily as clear internationally and there are differences in the structure of systems between countries—we none the less continue to monitor and consider UK spending on medicines in an international context. It is important to point out that the UK is around the median for spending on medicines per capita among comparable countries in Europe. We tend to spend the same as or more than Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands, and less than Germany, France and Italy. It is important to provide context.

I come back to the initial point: as important as medicines pricing is, it is part of a wider bricking-up of a UK environment on which global boards will make a decision as to whether the UK is a good place to invest. Yes, we take this matter very seriously. However, as important as VPAS is, I am equally concerned by and keen to address some of the other issues that industry is rightly pointing out. Understandably, given that we are just about to start negotiations and its importance to industry, the issue of the day is VPAS. However, I know how interested industry also is in getting our regulation right, in our speed in setting up clinical trials and our ability to get patients on to clinical trials, and the uptake of new and innovative medicines and medtech into our NHS. Those are huge issues for industry too, and they are areas I am focusing on.

I am conscious of the need to give my hon. Friend the Member for Newton Abbot time to wind up, so I will conclude by once again reassuring her and Members from across the House that the Government are committed to a mutually beneficial voluntary scheme that supports patient outcomes, a strong, thriving life sciences industry here in the UK and—vitally—a financially sustainable NHS. We can all agree that this scheme is vital to keeping the branded medicine bill affordable for our NHS and ensuring that the UK life sciences industry can earn the money it needs to fund research and development into the new and improved medicines of the future. We cannot overestimate the impact that the scheme has had for thousands of patients by ensuring that they have rapid access to new life-saving and life-extending treatments. We remain firmly committed to VPAS and to working with the industry to deliver a new branded medicines agreement. I will ensure that we put patients’ needs at the forefront of these discussions and at every step of the process.

Oral Answers

Debate between Anne Marie Morris and Will Quince

Tuesday 25th April 2023 Commons Chamber

[Anne Marie Morris (Newton Abbot) (Con)]

Investors need certainty and the British people need access to more medicines. The growth cap in the voluntary pricing agreement for branded medicines between the pharmaceutical industry and Government makes the size of the medicines rebate unpredictable. Will the Minister remove the growth gap from the 2024 voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing and access, to supercharge investment that is currently leaking to Germany and Ireland?

[The Minister for Health and Secondary Care (Will Quince)]

I can certainly ensure the House that we are seeking a mutually beneficial voluntary scheme that supports patient outcomes, a strong life sciences industry and a financially sustainable NHS. We have been working directly with industry to understand the impact of changes to VPAS on investments into the UK life sciences sector, and we remain firmly committed to VPAS, which, it is important to say, has saved the NHS billions of pounds and saved millions of lives by supporting patients with life-threatening conditions and giving them rapid access to new medicines.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Anne Marie Morris and Will Quince

Tuesday 1st November 2022 Commons Chamber

[Anne Marie Morris (Newton Abbot) (Con)]

2. What recent discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on tackling health and care workforce shortages in rural areas.

[The Minister of State, Department of Health and Social Care (Will Quince)]

Ministers and officials regularly engage with a wide range of organisations to ensure that we are alert to the staffing issues facing the NHS and care sector across our country. We have increased training places for doctors, nurses and allied health professionals and increased access to clinical placements across a wide range of settings. We have also developed apprenticeships and blended learning opportunities to improve access to training that supports remote and rural communities.

[Anne Marie Morris]

In Devon, workforce shortages are acute. One in 10 nursing places remains unfilled, one in eight mental health roles across the south-west is vacant, and there are no dental practices taking on new NHS patients. That gap is too big to be bridged through current training and recruitment plans. Will the Minister create as a matter of urgency an innovative new career pathway, reducing the time to get new staff to the frontline?

[Will Quince]

I thank my hon. Friend for her question. She is a passionate campaigner on this issue. I recently responded to a debate on this issue led by her. She also chairs the all-party parliamentary group on rural health and social care. She is right, and we have developed an apprenticeship route for almost all professions in our NHS, allowing people to join the health and care sector immediately on an earn-as-you-learn basis. We continue to work hard to develop pathways into health and care professions, including via our groundbreaking blended online learning programmes.