Medical Equipment: Prices
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the consultation on the review of Part IX of the Drug Tariff was restricted; and what steps he plans to take to ensure that the review does not lead to the removal of access to the most clinically-appropriate products for patients who intermittently self-catheterise.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
The Part IX Drug Tariff Consultation was open between October 2023 and January 2024, and was targeted rather than public, owing to its complex subject matter. The consultation was sent to trade associations and companies with listings on Part IX of the Drug Tariff, National Health Service commissioners, clinical groups, and patient representative groups. There are 825 intermittent catheters listed on Part IX with approximately £176 million spent on them annually. The amendments that were consulted on intend to increase meaningful choice, not to decrease choice for clinicians and patients, intend to increase comparison between products, which can increase awareness of different brands amongst prescribers, and support the adoption of innovation that can improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
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