Written question asked by Mike Hancock (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 8 March 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 10 March 2006. It was answered by Liam Byrne (Labour) on Monday, 13 March 2006 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Question: (2) what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) existing NHS deficits on the uptake of treatment approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence for use in rheumatoid arthritis and (b) payment by results and practice-based commissioning on the availability of these treatments; and if she will make a statement.

Answer: All primary care trusts in England and Wales are obliged to fund, from general allocations, anti-tumour necrosis (anti-TNF) therapy for those patients with rheumatoid arthritis who meet the clinical guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.Anti-TNF therapy is already commissioned at local level under arrangements that should cover the cost of patient attendances at out-patient clinics as well as any anti-TNF drugs.From 2006–07, payment by results will apply a national tariff to rheumatology out-patient clinics. The tariff will set the price for outpatient attendances and will exclude the additional cost of anti-TNF drugs, for which funding will continue to be negotiated locally. These arrangements are already operating in 2005–06 for National Health Service Foundation Trusts and other early implementers of payment by results.

Secondary information