Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will hold discussions with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on the potential merits of considering the potential impact of new treatments on caregivers when determining the cost-effectiveness of those treatments.

We have no plans to hold such discussions. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) develops its guidance independently and in line with its established methods and processes, which have been developed through extensive engagement with interested parties to ensure that they reflect best practice and societal preferences.

In its evaluations of new medicines, the NICE considers National Health Service and publicly funded personal social services (PSS) costs and, when relevant, the health impact of treatments on carers. Any changes to the NICE’s methods to include a wider economic perspective to, for example, account for productivity benefits to carers, would be methodologically and ethically challenging and could have unintended consequences. There is a risk that such a change could result in fewer treatments being recommended for populations that are disproportionately older, economically inactive, or have greater care needs. It is crucial that the NICE’s methods remain fair, consistent, and provide the most health benefit for society.