The interim generic policies published set out NHS England’s approach on various funding issues including Individual Funding Requests; access to treatments for patients moving between different sets of commissioners and services providers, and the process that NHS England will adopt for implementing guidance produced by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE). A policy on “Ethical Framework for Priority Setting and Resource Allocation” is also included and sets out a fair and consistent approach to decision-making. The policies have been adopted on an interim basis, thus giving NHS England the opportunity to engage further with patients, carers and the public over the next 6-12 months so that the policies can be refined and final versions agreed.
The following interim generic policies are available (direct from source):
1. Ethical Framework for Priority Setting and Resource Allocation
Sets out a framework for fair and consistent decision-making for the direct commissioning arm of NHS England
2. In-Year Service Developments
States NHS England’s position on requests for the recurrent funding of new services.
3. Individual Funding Requests
Defines NHS England’s policy on the conditions, processes and criteria used for decision-making in the case of Individual Funding Requests.
4. Interim Standard Operating Procedures: The Management of Individual Funding Requests
5. Implementation and Funding of NICE Guidance
Sets out how NHS England will respond to the implementation and related funding of new guidance from the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE)
6. Experimental and Unproven Treatments
Sets out the circumstances in which NHS England may wish to fund a treatment or intervention which is either considered experimental or not to be of proven effectiveness
7. On-going Treatment Following a NHS CB Funded Trial
Sets out NHS England’s policy on access to treatment following the completion of a trial which it has explicitly funded
8. On-going Treatment Following Non-Commercially Funded Clinical Trials
Sets out NHS England’s policy on access to treatment following the completion a non-commercially funded trial
9. On-going access to treatment following a trial of treatment
Sets out NHS England’s policy with regard to the funding of a patient’s treatment at the end of a ‘trial of treatment’ which it does not normally commission.
10. Patients changing responsible commissioner
States NHS England’s policy on when it will accept responsibility for existing funding commitments made by patients’ previous commissioning bodies e.g. PCT or CCG
11. Choice
Policy on choices for elective referrals for which NHS England is responsible.
12. Defining the boundaries between NHS and private healthcare
This policy defines the boundaries between privately funded treatment and entitlement to NHS funding, under a range of circumstances.
13. On-going Access to Treatment Following Industry Sponsored Clinical Trails or Funding
Sets out NHS England’s policy on access to treatment following the completion of industry sponsored clinical trials or funding
14. Clinical Service Derogation of Commissioned Specialised Services
Sets out the circumstances under which clinical providers may apply for a derogation, or temporary delay, in meeting key service requirements in full, as described in the service specification, or other mandatory commission requirements
15. Commercial Service Derogation of Commissioned Specialised Services
Sets out the circumstances under which commercial providers may apply for a derogation, or temporary delay, in meeting key service requirements in full, as described in the service specification, or other mandatory commission requirements