Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to increase the uptake of novel oral anticoagulants in the management of atrial fibrillation.

Decisions on the prescribing of medicines are a matter for clinicians in discussion with their patients.

National Health Service commissioners are legally required by regulations to fund those anticoagulant treatments recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence(NICE) in its technology appraisal guidance.

The NICE Implementation Collaborative published a consensus statement on supporting the use of novel oral anticoagulants in non-valvular atrial fibrillation on 18 June 2014. This is available at:

www.nice.org.uk/resource/CG180/pdf/c/cg180-atrial-fibrillation-nic-consensus-statement-on-the-use-of-noacs?id=gvyb3hjdqrcjtn6ytpwx3ydb64

NICE published its updated clinical guideline on the management of atrial fibrillation on 25 June 2014 which recommends that novel oral anticoagulants should be offered where appropriate.

The latest data from the Innovation Scorecard show that uptake of new anticoagulants across England is increasing. Further information is available at:

www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB13669