Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 28 April (HL7700), how NHS England has satisfied itself that Nottinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Groups have met all the requirements of the tendering process, and that that process was consistent with Part IX of the Drug Tariff framework for reimbursement and remuneration.

NHS England advises that the procurement process was managed on behalf of Nottinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) by the ArdenGem Commissioning Support Unit. This process was conducted in accordance with relevant guidance and legislation. All CCGs are subject to an external audit each year to ensure that effective internal governance arrangements are in place.

Part IX of the Drug Tariff is the national specification for appliances that can be prescribed on National Health Service prescription. NHS England confirms that the service for which the Nottinghamshire CCGs tendered requires prescriptions to be written for patients, which will be dispensed within the framework for reimbursement and remuneration set out in Part IX of the Drug Tariff.