NHS England has today announced the results of the first of two prioritisation rounds to decide which new specialised commissioning treatments and services will be made available for patients for the 2018/19 financial year. An initial three new treatments and services were approved for funding including a treatment for HIV, a new specialised service for […]
NHS England has today agreed plans to save hundreds of millions of pounds each year by recommending low value treatments, including fish oil, herbal remedies and homeopathy no longer be provided on the NHS, and launching a consultation on curbs to prescriptions for some ‘over the counter’ products such as paracetamol. GPs issued 1.1 billion […]
With less than a month until Christmas, the NHS today appealed to parents to take up the free flu vaccination for children to curb infection over the holiday season when family get-togethers spread the infection, putting grandparents and other vulnerable relatives at risk. Health officials say that without the flu vaccination children are more likely […]
NHS chief Simon Stevens will today announce that NHS England has struck deals to make innovative treatments for Multiple Sclerosis and breast cancer routinely available on the NHS. From tomorrow (10 November) hundreds of patients with Multiple Sclerosis are set to benefit from a new treatment option, Mavenclad, following a deal with drug company Merck. […]
NHS England, Public Health England, the Department of Health and NHS Improvement have today unveiled measures to boost the uptake of flu vaccinations along with package of new contingency actions to respond to pressures on frontline services this winter. Intensified preparations include: Providing free flu vaccines for hundreds of thousands of care home staff at […]
NHS England has today (Thursday 3 August) announced the start of a pioneering implementation trial to provide HIV prevention drugs to people at high risk of HIV infection. From September, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) will now be provided by the NHS through the initial three year trial to an estimated 10,000 people, in what will be […]
NHS England has today published detailed plans – drawn up with family doctors and pharmacists – to cut out prescriptions for ineffective, over-priced and low value treatments. Helping to trim hundreds of millions from the nation’s rapidly growing drugs bill will create headroom to reinvest all savings in newer and more effective NHS medicines and […]
Children and adults with a rare inherited bone disease will be able to access a potentially life-enhancing drug, thanks to an innovative deal between NHS England, NICE and manufacturer Alexion. Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is a rare inherited bone condition that can appear any time from before birth to adulthood. In babies it is often fatal, and […]
An ongoing fight to raise awareness of over-medication of people with learning disabilities has been welcomed by the country’s top nurse. As it reached its first anniversary today Professor Jane Cummings spoke out in support of stop the over-medication of people with a learning disability or autism (STOMP) – a major initiative aimed at curbing […]
NHS England will be leading a review of low value prescription items from April 2017 and introducing new guidance for Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), with a view to substantially saving NHS expenditure in this area. It follows extensive work by NHS Clinical Commissioners which identified significant areas where potential savings can be made, up to […]