Testimonials
Here you will find a number of testimonials about the work we have carried out from key names across the public health spectrum including:
Andrew Donald
Director of GP Commissioning Development, South Staffordshire PCT
Helen Seymour
Senior Medicines Management Adviser, NHS North of Tyne, Newcastle and Northumberland
Sarah Cannon
Public Health Manager, NHS Salford
Dr Alexis Macherianakis
Consultant in Public Health Medicine, Sandwell PCT
Dr Olufunke Adedeji
Consultant in Public Health Medicine-Health Protection, NHS Northamptonshire
Robert Brown
Specialist Pharmaceutical Advisor, NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent
Neeshma Shah
Head of Medicines Management and Pharmacy, and Deputy CD Accountable Officer Medicines Managment Team, NHS Camden
Andrew Donald, Director of GP Commissioning Development, South Staffordshire PCT
Formerly Chief Executive, NHS Birmingham East and North, was the PCT consultee on two NICE Technology Appraisals.
-Vemurafenib for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic, BRAFV600E mutation-positive malignant melanoma; commenced 6 May 2011.
- Human growth hormone (somatropin) for the treatment of growth failure in children (review of NICE technology appraisal guidance 42); commenced 14 September 2009.
“CSAS has simplified a very complex area in commissioning. This has provided PCTs with the knowledge and raised the importance of PCTs participating in NICE technology appraisals, which was not available prior to CSAS.
Into the future, CSAS needs to consider building capacity for a potentially bigger role, as part of the national commissioning support infrastructure. CSAS may also provide services tailored for individual or several groups of GP consortia.” 
Helen Seymour, Senior Medicines Management Adviser - NHS North of Tyne, Newcastle and Northumberland
Newcastle and Northumberland was the PCT consultee on 5 NICE Technology Appraisals.
- Lenalidomide for the maintenance of multiple myeloma after autologous stem cell transplantation; commenced 1 March 2011.
- Bendamustine in combination with rituximab for the first-line treatment of low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; commenced 23 August 2010.
- Golimumab for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis after failure of previous disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; commenced 28 April 2010.
- Rituximab for the first-line treatment of stage III-IV follicular lymphoma; commenced 22 April 2010.
- Bivalirudin for the treatment of myocardial infarction (persistent ST-segment elevation); 23 December 2009.
“CSAS has enabled me as the named PCT consultee to contribute to the consultation phases of NICE Technology Appraisals without the need for time consuming analysis of the data presented. If it wasn’t for the input from CSAS I believe that most PCTs would not have the time or resource to actively engage with NICE. CSAS has become a respected resource for evidence review.
Undoubtedly CSAS has a role in supporting GP consortia to engage with NICE – with the likely fragmentation of Public Health and Medicines Management within the NHS reform, there will be even less time in the day to adequately review NICE Technology Appraisals.”
Sarah Cannon, Public Health Manager, NHS Salford
NHS Salford was the PCT consultee on two NICE Technology Appraisals.
- Mutliple technology appraisal of Cilostazol, naftidrofuryl oxalate, pentoxifylline and inositol nicotinate for intermittent claudication in people with peripheral arterial disease; commenced 25 March 2010.
- Dabigatran etexilate for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in atrial fibrillation; commenced 11 March 2010.
“CSAS’ support saves a great deal of time for commissioners. The responses are extremely comprehensive to aid understanding and to facilitate commissioners to think through local implications.
CSAS has established expertise required to assist GP consortia. In a time of change, with a focus on reducing costs, the knowledge that this can be addressed thoroughly, reliably and to timescales should be valued.”
Dr Alexis Macherianakis, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, Sandwell PCT
Sandwell PCT was PCT consultee on the following Technology Appraisal.
- Mannitol dry powder for inhalation for the treatment of cystic fibrosis; commenced 15 September 2010.
“CSAS has been successful to get PCTs on the decision-making NICE table, to give us a voice. Before CSAS, I was involved with NICE consultation and on the day, I was only allowed to be a silent observer.
CSAS has provided reliable and comprehensive reviews offering peer support to an important task that has traditionally received low priority in PCTs.
CSAS’ role into the future will be to support the new NICE stakeholders in consultations, representing NHS budget holders. Also engaging with NICE as one voice representing these organisations.”
Dr. Olufunke Adedeji, Consultant in Public Health Medicine-Health Protection, NHS Northamptonshire
NHS Northamptonshire was PCT consultee on the following Technology Appraisal.
- Multiple technology appraisal on Desferrioxamine, deferiprone and deferasirox for the treatment of chronic iron overload in people with thalassaemia; commenced 17 December 2010.
“The provision of background evidence to appraisals by CSAS contributed significantly to directing further enquiry around the NICE appraisals of interest and we received enquiries from our local practitioners across different care pathways and Trusts.
CSAS does have a continuing role in conducting reviews of evidence and helping to inform service commissioning across a number of areas relating to health and social care, by priming consultees and guiding their preparation for the NICE panel meetings.”
Robert Brown, Specialist Pharmaceutical Advisor, NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent
NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent was PCT consultee on the following Technology Appraisal.
- Multiple technology appraisal on Desferrioxamine, deferiprone and deferasirox for the treatment of chronic iron overload in people with thalassaemia; commenced 17 December 2010.
“CSAS has provided me with timely, well researched information enhancing my knowledge and enabling me to adequately represent the views of this commissioning organisation at a scoping meeting. CSAS brought to my attention that our PCT was invited to participate in NICE technology appraisals and ensured deadlines were met for submissions. Overall, CSAS has improved the contribution that PCTs make to technology appraisals which is beneficial not just for PCTs but also the whole technology appraisal process.
CSAS needs to continue to provide timely appraisals of new medicines / indications so that health resources can properly be prioritised. I suggest that the value CSAS adds to the commissioning process will be even more valuable with the advent of commissioning by GP consortia and the risks of postcode prescribing as well as the potential lack of capability / expertise within GP consortia. It is my view that GPs will welcome a capable and robust process in this regard and would view CSAS as a ‘safe place’ for this kind of work to be done.
I have used CSAS resources to help me with assessing individual funding requests and to inform business cases for medicine use in the absence of NICE appraisals. The website is something that I regularly and frequently check.”
Neeshma Shah, Head of Medicines Management and Pharmacy, and Deputy CD Accountable Officer Medicines Management Team, NHS Camden
NHS Camden was PCT consultee on two Technology Appraisals.
- Eribulin for the treatment of locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer; commenced; 30 April 2010.
- Rituximab for the maintenance treatment of follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma following response to first-line chemotherapy; commenced 15 March 2010.
“I have found CSAS very useful when responding to a consultation from NICE as a PCT consultee. The content provided by CSAS has matched PCT issues being considered when evaluating the evidence and impact of a new technology. CSAS role should be reviewed in view of the proposed changes to NICE to match the needs of future commissioners. Particularly how the new commissioners intend to use CSAS support to optimise clinical care within finite resources.
"It would be a real shame to lose CSAS and the Public Health network - rather CSAS should be strengthened to support Local Authorities overseeing aspects of commissioning in the new landscape.”
