Diabetes in the NHS: commissioning and providing specialist services. 26 p.

Diabetes in the NHS: commissioning and providing specialist services. 26 p.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, Maria Eagle, on 11 November (Official Report, House of Commons, col. 241WH) that the legal position on assisted dying is clear, whether a doctor may lawfully administer what she reasonably believes to be appropriate medical...

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, Maria Eagle, on 11 November (Official Report, House of Commons, col. 241WH) that the legal position on assisted dying is clear, whether a doctor may lawfully administer what she reasonably believes to be appropriate medical...

Letter dated 04/11/2008 from David Nicholson, NHS Chief Executive, to strategic health authority chief executives regarding improving access to medicines for NHS patients. 4 p.

Letter dated 04/11/2008 from David Nicholson, NHS Chief Executive, to strategic health authority chief executives regarding improving access to medicines for NHS patients. 4 p.

Guidance on NHS patients who wish to pay for additional private care: a consultation. Consultation paper. 16 p.

Guidance on NHS patients who wish to pay for additional private care: a consultation. Consultation paper. 16 p.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, if a patient makes a top-up payment for a cancer drug, the National Health Service will continue to pay for the treatment if the patient runs out of money.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, if a patient makes a top-up payment for a cancer drug, the National Health Service will continue to pay for the treatment if the patient runs out of money.

Cost effective provision of disease modifying therapies for people with multiple sclerosis. Health Service Circular 2002/004. 29 p.

Cost effective provision of disease modifying therapies for people with multiple sclerosis. Health Service Circular 2002/004. 29 p.

Improving access to medicines for NHS patients. 77 p.

Improving access to medicines for NHS patients. 77 p.

Statement on the Richards Review of policy regarding NHS patients who wish to pay for additional private drugs. (Top-ups)

Statement on the Richards Review of policy regarding NHS patients who wish to pay for additional private drugs. (Top-ups)

Lords statement on Professor Mike Richards' review of current policy concerning NHS patients who wish to pay for additional private drugs.

Lords statement on Professor Mike Richards' review of current policy concerning NHS patients who wish to pay for additional private drugs.

I am grateful to the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. I am sure, too, that the House will wish to thank Professor Mike Richards for his report. I regret, however, that the Secretary of State's statement, far from clarifying the issues, leaves them as unsatisfactory as...

I am grateful to the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. I am sure, too, that the House will wish to thank Professor Mike Richards for his report. I regret, however, that the Secretary of State's statement, far from clarifying the issues, leaves them as unsatisfactory as...

My Lords, does the Minister think that the Statement will make postcode prescribing better or worse? Surely that is the real problem of a two-tier system.

My Lords, does the Minister think that the Statement will make postcode prescribing better or worse? Surely that is the real problem of a two-tier system.

I welcome the measures proposed in the statement, which will go a long way towards speeding up the process and making more drugs available. However, I have some concerns about what my right hon. Friend has said. One of the founding principles of the NHS is that it is based...

I welcome the measures proposed in the statement, which will go a long way towards speeding up the process and making more drugs available. However, I have some concerns about what my right hon. Friend has said. One of the founding principles of the NHS is that it is based...

I welcome the Secretary of State's statement and his recognition that some health economies, such as Birmingham's, have already successfully worked out a way of dealing with the private sector and the NHS. However, I did not quite get a sense of whether there is any distinction in the primary...

I welcome the Secretary of State's statement and his recognition that some health economies, such as Birmingham's, have already successfully worked out a way of dealing with the private sector and the NHS. However, I did not quite get a sense of whether there is any distinction in the primary...

My Lords, we are extremely grateful to the Minister for repeating an important Statement. It raises an important principle of care which I imagine will grow within the health service as our healthcare becomes increasingly complex and often quite expensive. One of the issues, however, is whether the principle might...

My Lords, we are extremely grateful to the Minister for repeating an important Statement. It raises an important principle of care which I imagine will grow within the health service as our healthcare becomes increasingly complex and often quite expensive. One of the issues, however, is whether the principle might...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord. With regard to the interpretation of the guidance, it is obvious from the Richards report that there has been a large variation in the interpretation of the guidance in different parts of the country. That is why we are where we...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord. With regard to the interpretation of the guidance, it is obvious from the Richards report that there has been a large variation in the interpretation of the guidance in different parts of the country. That is why we are where we...

That is a question for NICE in deciding how to operate the system. Currently, drugs companies come in with a price at the beginning and cannot alter it, but under a value-based system they could come in with a lower price and then argue for a higher price later. ...I...

That is a question for NICE in deciding how to operate the system. Currently, drugs companies come in with a price at the beginning and cannot alter it, but under a value-based system they could come in with a lower price and then argue for a higher price later. ...I...

The decisions do not apply retrospectively. A NICE decision applies from the time at which it takes effect. In terms of the additional care that we are talking about, when NHS care is withdrawn from a patient in those circumstances that comes into effect immediately.

The decisions do not apply retrospectively. A NICE decision applies from the time at which it takes effect. In terms of the additional care that we are talking about, when NHS care is withdrawn from a patient in those circumstances that comes into effect immediately.

I commend this positive step and remind the House of the heroic Jane Tomlinson, who did so much for charity but could not access the drugs that she needed. May I ask the Secretary of State a practical question about the ever-changing medicines available for people who are terminally ill?...

I commend this positive step and remind the House of the heroic Jane Tomlinson, who did so much for charity but could not access the drugs that she needed. May I ask the Secretary of State a practical question about the ever-changing medicines available for people who are terminally ill?...

Speedier NICE appraisal decisions are essential but they are not sufficient. We also need more transparency and accountability in NICE decisions. In the light of the Law Lords' decision to refuse permission to NICE to go to appeal on the dementia drug case decision, will the Secretary of State now...

Speedier NICE appraisal decisions are essential but they are not sufficient. We also need more transparency and accountability in NICE decisions. In the light of the Law Lords' decision to refuse permission to NICE to go to appeal on the dementia drug case decision, will the Secretary of State now...

I shall take that question as an audition for the Royal Shakespeare Company and treat it with the contempt it deserves.

I shall take that question as an audition for the Royal Shakespeare Company and treat it with the contempt it deserves.