NHS Confederation comments on announcement that costs of UK–US pharma deal will be met by DHSC

Responding to the government’s confirmation that the DHSC will fund the UK-US pharmaceuticals deal on medicines access announced in December from existing central budgets over the current spending review, Dr Layla McCay, director of policy, speaking on behalf of the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers, said:

“NHS leaders know well how important reliable access to medicines is in order to ensure patients across the country have access to the best treatments at the right time and at the highest value.

 “While health leaders will be reassured to hear that frontline NHS service budgets will not be raided to fund these higher drug prices, they will also be concerned to note that against an already very challenging financial environment DHSC budgets will be used. It also remains unclear which planned DHSC spending will need to be cut to cover the costs of higher medicines spending.

 “Against rising demand for care and huge pressure on all parts of the health service any increases in medicines spending paid for through either NHS or DHSC central pots must not adversely impact the quality of health service provision or force health care leaders into making further difficult choices of where to pare back patient care.”