Statutory Scheme: NHS Clinical Commissioners' response to DHSC's consultation
On Tuesday (18 September) we responded on your behalf to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) consultation on changes to the statutory scheme to control the costs of branded medicines.
These proposals included the extension of the scheme to cover biosimilars to support more rapid release of cost savings following market entry and higher levels of rebate to the NHS from those companies that fall within the scheme, as well as a system of gradual introductory phasing.
We support the overall principles of both the statutory scheme and the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) 2014 to limit the cost of branded health service medicines and thereby safeguard the financial position of the NHS, and view these additional measures as supporting that central aim. We call on government to clarify the funding flows, so that CCGs can clearly identify the rebates that accrue locally, rather than these being included in the overall baseline allocation.
