Written question asked by Chi Onwurah (Labour) on Thursday, 2 February 2012, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 6 February 2012. It was answered by Simon Burns (Conservative) on Thursday, 9 February 2012 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Gynaecology: Medical Treatments

Question: (2) how he proposes that the NHS Commissioning Board will ensure that Clinical Commissioning Groups commission appropriate treatment options for women with symptomatic fibroids including minimally invasive procedures such as Uterine Artery Embolisation.

Answer: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published guidance on the safety and efficacy, of Uterine Artery Embolisation for fibroids through its interventional procedures programme. NICE interventional procedures guidance makes recommendations on whether procedures are sufficiently safe and efficacious for use in clinical practice, but does not provide guidance on whether they represent a clinically and cost-effective use of national health service resources.Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) will be established and will publish a range of evidence-based products providing advice and guidance for the NHS on the promotion of good health and prevention of ill health. The Government have committed to ensuring that NHS commissioners will continue to be required to make funding available for drugs and treatments recommended by NICE technology appraisals. NICE'S other advice and guidance will be a valuable source of advice for local commissioners in their decision-making.The NHS Commissioning Board will be able to support implementation of NICE guidance by clinical commissioning groups through commissioning guidance.

Secondary information