Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with NHS England about the criteria used to decide (a) when and (b) which high cost devices are removed from the high-cost drugs and devices list.

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 gives responsibility for the National Tariff to Monitor and NHS England. The criteria for listing a drug or device on the high cost list are set out on the NHS England website and are made clear as part of the engagement. When it is felt that there is sufficient evidence to remove a high cost device from the list, Monitor and NHS England propose this as part of a wider engagement and will gather wider views on the appropriateness of the change. All feedback will be reviewed to take a final view.