Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the NHS England specialised commissioning task force will take into account the outcome of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence review of the process for evaluating highly specialised technologies.

The Rare Diseases Advisory Group (RDAG) makes recommendations to NHS England and the devolved administrations of NHS Scotland, NHS Wales and NHS Northern Ireland on issues related to highly specialised services.

RDAG makes recommendations to the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group about how highly specialised services should be commissioned.

RDAG receives recommendations from Clinical Reference Groups set up by NHS England, and in addition formulates its advice by calling on sources of sound evidence from outside the National Health Service, such as professional bodies and patient groups.

RDAG will respond to consultations issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Highly Specialised Technology Programme, and provide advice to NHS England and the devolved administrations on the most appropriate services to deliver those highly specialised technologies that receive a positive technology appraisal determination from NICE.