Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the outcomes of the Innovative Medicines Fund and NICE Methods Review will align due to the fact that the timescale for the consultation processes will complete at a similar time.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and NHS England and NHS Improvement are developing proposals for the Innovative Medicines Fund. NHS England and NHS Improvement announced the size of the fund on 21 July and an engagement exercise with stakeholders on detailed proposals is expected in the coming weeks.

NICE also expects to consult on proposed changes to its programme manual in the summer as part of its ongoing methods and process review. NICE, NHS England and NHS Improvement will ensure that the outcomes of these processes support early patient access to the most promising new treatments.