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NICE
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how his Department monitors the implementation of NICE appraisal guidance throughout the NHS; and if he will make a statement; [11468]
- (2) what advice his Department has given to (a) NHS trusts, (b) health authorities and (c) primary care groups and trusts on how they should audit the implementation of NICE guidance; [11470]
(3) what advice his Department has given to (a) NHS trusts and (b) health authorities on how they should prescribe treatments that are currently undergoing appraisal by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence; [11467]
(4) if he will publish the data collected by his Department on the implementation of the NICE appraisal guidance. [11469]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 31 October 2001]: The Department is monitoring the implementation of National Institute for Clinical Excellence appraisal guidance through its routine performance assessment procedures supplemented by other data sources available to the Department. We will be looking to the Commission for Health Improvement to provide more information in due course. Additionally, we are preparing to implement our manifesto commitment that
- "local health authorities and trusts will be directed to fund drugs and treatments recommended by NICE",
and expect to announce further details shortly.
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the process of local implementation of NICE guidance, including audit. NICE itself is developing audit tools which will be published alongside its appraisals.
Guidance to the NHS on treatments undergoing assessment by NICE is set out in Health Service Circular 1999/176. NHS bodies are advised to continue to use
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existing arrangements to access the publicly available evidence and to determine local policies for the managed entry of the new intervention.
We are currently formulating proposals for the release of data about products subject to NICE recommendations.