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Experimental data published on use of recommended medicines and treatments by NHS

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Experimental data about the use of NICE recommended medicines and treatments by NHS organisations is today published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) on behalf of the Department of Health (DH) and the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB).

NICE Technology Appraisals in the NHS in England 2011; Experimental Statistics – Innovation Scorecard; follows the Innovation Health and Wealth paper published by DH in 2011, which set out plans to support development and adoption of innovation in the NHS.

The publication presents limited data at organisational level about the use of medicines and medical technologies recommended for use in the NHS in England by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). It takes the form of an interactive spread-sheet and accompanying report, which describes the data and its limitations.

Although pointing towards variation between organisations and a valuable first step in assembling useful data, the information released today cannot be used to accurately consider adherence by individual organisations to NICE recommendations. Variation is to be expected between organisations given the different sizes and needs of populations they serve and differing purchasing arrangements. Many NICE recommendations are also one of a number of options for treatment.

Data is shown for 76 medicines and six medical technologies covered by 102 technology appraisals; with the report comprising of four types of information:

  • Estimates of actual use and expected use of medicines (previously published in October 2012 as part of a separate report; Use of NICE-appraised medicines in the NHS in England - 2010 and 2011).
  • Volumes of medicines (used primarily in primary care) presented as defined daily dose per 100,000 of planned Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) population.
  • Use of medical technologies in hospital trusts by the planned CCG of residence of the patient.
  • Volumes of medicines (used primarily in secondary care), presented as milligrams of drug purchased or provided by pharmaceutical companies by NHS trust per 100,000 hospital bed days (noting that this may not reflect actual use).

Classed as experimental, the report is an initial summary of available data, intended to generate discussion and feedback as to how best to further develop information in this area. It can be accessed at: www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/niceapptech11.

ENDS

Notes to editors

  1. HSCIC was previously known as the NHS Information Centre. It is England’s authoritative, independent source of health and social care information. It works with a wide range of health and social care providers nationwide to provide the facts and figures that help the NHS and social services run effectively. Its role is to collect data, analyse it and convert it into useful information which helps providers improve their services and supports academics, researchers, regulators and policymakers in their work. The HSCIC also produces a wide range of statistical publications each year across a number of areas including: primary care, health and lifestyles, screening, hospital care, population and geography, social care and workforce and pay statistics.
  2. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Technology Appraisal process assesses the clinical and cost effectiveness of new and existing drugs and treatments, and provides guidance on their use by the NHS. As part of the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) introduced in February 2009, the Department of Health (DH) and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry agreed that the DH would review the uptake of selected medicines in the NHS. NICE guidance can be found on the NICE website: www.nice.org.uk.
  3. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Technology Appraisal process assesses the clinical and cost effectiveness of new and existing drugs and treatments, and provides guidance on their use by the NHS.  The NHS is required to put in place funding arrangements for those medicines positively appraised by NICE. NICE appraisals normally only recommend a medicine as an option for treatment.
  4. The data in today's report are classed as ‘experimental statistics' as they are new official statistics undergoing evaluation and the HSCIC welcomes feedback on their future development.
  5. The report; Use of NICE-appraised medicines in the NHS in England – 2010 and 2011 , published by HSCIC in October 2012, is at: www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/niceappmed1011.
  6. “Planned CCG” refers to the current definitions of intended Clinical Commissioning Groups that from April 2013, will be responsible for planning and designing local health services in England. These definitions are still subject to change.
  7. For media enquires please call 0845 257 6990 or email mediaenquiries@ic.nhs.uk