Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is promoting innovation in the provision of health and social care as required by the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) plays an important role in promoting innovation in the health and care system through the development of authoritative, evidence-based guidance on the most effective and cost-effective ways to prevent and treat ill health, and through the dissemination of information on innovative new technologies. For example, in the development of its technology appraisal guidance and Highly Specialised Technologies guidance, NICE ensures that the benefits to patients from an innovative technology are fully captured in its decision-making. NICE also disseminates information on innovative new drugs and other technologies through tailored briefings for the health and care system.