 |
|
1 February 2002 Number 14
Subject
House of Commons HealthSelect Committee inquiry into the National Institute for Clinical Excellence(NICE).
Background
NICE was set up to providenational guidance on whether new drugs and treatments should be available onthe NHS. It has recently beenchallenged by leading doctors and medical charities on some of the decisions ithas made. The Select Committee isinvestigating whether the Institute is meeting its objectives.
BUPAs position
BUPA has supplied written evidence to the Select Committeerequesting that everyone working in, or receiving, healthcare should haveaccess to the information published by NICE.Not all of NICEs evaluations are currently made available as in arecent case when a detailed review of hip prosthesis was not given to theindependent sector. BUPA feels thismakes it difficult to ensure that patients receive the most appropriate carewhether treated in the public or private sectors.
BUPA pointed out that it often finds it difficult to relyon the assessments NICE makes, even though these assessments are thorough,explicit and practically useful. Thesheer volume of work required and the length of time the Institute needs tocomplete a review means that BUPA often finds it necessary to perform its ownevaluation and draw its own conclusions.Very often BUPA receives requests from consultants to prescribe aparticular treatment long before an evaluation by NICE has taken place.
When NICE looks at a new drug or treatment it not onlyreviews how good it is at treating patients but also how cost effective oraffordable it is for the NHS. BUPA toldthe committee that it would like to see a little more clarity between these twoelements because although it mostly follows the Institutes guidance on whethera new drug/treatment is clinically effective it often has to take a differentview from the NHS on how cost effective it is to fund a certain treatment formembers.
Furtherinformation: Natalie-JaneMacdonald, Membership medical and healthcare purchasing director, 01784 891206.