Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress the Clinical Priorities Action Group has made in the review of the treatment duodopa for Parkinson's disease; and how the views of those affected by Parkinson's disease are being taken into account in that review.

NHS England has advised that, at the request of patient groups, NHS England is currently consulting with patients and the wider public about how it makes decisions on which specialised services and treatments, including Duodopa, to invest in. This will ensure the principles and process it follows are well informed, evidence-led and in line with the expectations of patients and the public.

The consultation runs until 27 April 2015 and can be found at:

www.engage.england.nhs.uk/consultation/investing-in-specialised-commissioning

Until then, any decision that is urgent on clinical grounds will be dealt with quickly though NHS England’s existing procedures. Clinicians will continue to be able to make Individual Funding Requests, on behalf of their patients, to NHS England for treatments like Duodopa that are not routinely available.