Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have conducted an impact assessment of the draft NICE Guidelines on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, including the impact (1) on patients over 65 years old who may be medically unsuitable for open surgical repair, and (2) of removing certain treatment options when clinical professionals have indicated that patients require such treatment.

We have made no such assessments. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and has not yet published final guidance on the diagnosis and management of abdominal aortic aneurysm. NICE has recently consulted on its draft guideline and will take the comments it has received in response to the consultation fully into account in finalising its recommendations.