Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of (1) the additional workload, and (2) the added cost for secondary care providers resulting from the decisions that (a) individuals currently prescribed liothyronine should be reviewed by a consultant NHS endocrinologist with consideration given to switching to levothyroxine where clinically appropriate, and (b) individual patients with an ongoing need for liothyronine should have that confirmed by a consultant NHS endocrinologist.

We have made no such estimate. However NHS England expects local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) – who have responsibility for commissioning these services - to have regard to the guidance when determining their local prescribing decisions. As such, it will be for local CCGs, in conjunction with local providers to determine what is best for patients and as part of their decision making, the resources available to implement any change.

The Regional Medicines Optimisation Committee (South) has considered this issue in further detail and a statement will be issued by them in due course to support CCGs and secondary care providers in reviewing patients, in line with the recommendations made. Regional Medicines Optimisation Committees make recommendations, provide resources and co-ordinate activities to ensure the optimal use of medicines for the benefit of patients and the National Health Service.