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Review of the arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of stoma and incontinence appliances - and related services - to primary care
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Launch date:1 May 2008
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Creator/s:Department of Health
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Copyright holder:Crown
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Gateway number:Not required
As the arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of stoma and incontinence appliances – and related services – to Primary Care, have remained largely unchanged for over 20 years the Department considered it important to review them. During that time, advances have been made in product technology and in the services that dispensing contractors choose to provide.
One of our key aims in reviewing these arrangements is that patient care should be maintained and, where appropriate, improved. We also want to make sure that the NHS is getting value from the monies that are spent on appliances and related services.
At this stage, no decisions have been made about any new arrangements. The review is ongoing and this sets out how the Department intends to conclude it.
The last consultation
In order to seek views on proposed new arrangement, the Department has followed a process of public consultation. The last consultation was published in September 2007. This consultation closed in December 2007 and we received responses from healthcare professionals, dispensing contractors and manufacturers, and a number of patient groups. A summary of the formal responses can be found at the same website address as the consultation itself.
A large amount of correspondence was also received from individual patients, their carers and Members of Parliament on behalf of their constituents.
Having considered the views expressed about the proposals set out in the consultation, the DH decided that it should meet with interested parties to discuss their responses - as this would allow us to explore approaches that would help to inform policy and, consequently, allow us to conclude the review.
These meetings began in February 2008 and we met with representatives from the NHS, patient groups, healthcare professionals and industry trade associations.
The discussions highlighted two key requirements: that patient care must be maintained and that any new proposals should be more affordable to dispensing contractors and manufacturers than those put forward in the September 2007 consultation.
Both of these requirements are in line with the Department’s stated aims.
Next steps
Having listened to everyone’s views, we are in the process of drafting a further consultation. This will be published in May 2008 - along with an Impact Assessment and Equality Impact Assessment - and will be open for 12 weeks.
In the meantime, the Department trusts that users of stoma and urology appliances are reassured that no hasty decisions are being made and that the Department is taking into account the views of a wide range of interested parties – not least patients, whose ongoing care is of paramount importance.
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