Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans the Department of Health has to instruct NICE to include a broader assessment of value in its appraisals of cancer medicines.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that provides guidance on the prevention and treatment of ill health and the promotion of good health and social care. NICE is responsible for its own processes and methodology.

In 2014, NICE held a three month consultation on proposals for a wider approach to the assessment of value. The diversity of the responses to NICE’s consultation showed that this is a very complex issue. It is critical that stakeholders continue to have confidence in NICE’s work and the Government agreed with NICE that it should not proceed with making the proposed changes to the way it assesses new medicines at that time.

NICE regularly reviews its processes and methodology and its internationally renowned technology appraisal programme has evolved constantly to meet new challenges. NICE has demonstrated its ability to adapt to changes in the health and care environment, and we expect it will continue to evolve in the future.

NICE most recently consulted on proposed changes to its technology appraisal methods and processes as part of its joint consultation with NHS England on proposals for a new Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF).

The Accelerated Access Review (AAR) is actively engaging with NHS England to ensure alignment between the work of the review on speeding up access for NHS patients to innovative and cost effective new medicines and the CDF. The AAR is looking at the capability of NICE, NHS England and the Department to support innovative pathways for the assessment, adoption and reimbursement of treatments.