Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps NHS England will take to encourage the uptake of innovative and cost-effective medicines as set out in the 2019 voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing and access.

The 2019 voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing and access contains ambitions to improve patients’ outcomes and the health gain from medicines spend by simplifying, streamlining and improving access, pricing and uptake arrangements for cost-effective medicines; and delivering faster adoption of the most clinically and cost-effective medicines.

This will be supported by changes to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s value assessment of new products, availability of increased commercial flexibility, and support for the National Health Service to increase uptake where appropriate. Use of products, particularly those which provide greatest health gain for patients, will be monitored and reviewed through this scheme. NHS England is developing a cohesive commercial framework to support this.