Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer to Question 224981 of 2 March 2015, how the implementation by NHS England of policies differs when they are (a) official, (b) officially expired but maintained and (c) officially expired but not maintained; what steps NHS England takes to ensure that relevant parties are notified that policies are being maintained once they have officially expired; and if he will make a statement.

NHS England has advised that, if a clinical policy is no longer considered required, for example, due to the publication of final technology appraisal guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, then the policy is removed from its website and NHS England teams and hospitals are made aware of this through internal communications.

NHS England notifies other relevant parties through its Clinical Reference Groups’ registered stakeholders.