Your role as a PCT
You have been asked to participate in a NICE technology appraisal
Why you should participate?
Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are responsible for commissioning health services for everyone registered with one of their general practices, and for everyone living within their area who is not registered with any general practice.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) appraises new treatments (and reviews older treatments) to determine whether they provide sufficient health improvement to justify investing NHS resources. If NICE recommends a treatment through one of its technology appraisals, PCTs must make resources available to pay for it.
Whenever NICE appraises a treatment, it convenes a panel to represent those who may gain or lose as a result of the new treatment. NICE invites two PCTs at random to be part of its appraisal panel to provide advice on the effect of the treatment on the wider population and on existing services. If PCTs participate fully in the appraisal process, this will help NICE to produce guidance that works for the whole population.
It is the role of the Commissioning Support Appraisals Service (CSAS) to help PCTs participate fully in NICE appraisals.
What you should do?
Contact the Commissioning Support Appraisals Service (CSAS) as soon as you are invited to participate in any part of a NICE appraisal. Even if the appraisal has already started, you should still contact us.
We will help you to:
- Respond to NICE’s requests within the timescale
- Comment on, or write documents for NICE
- Attend the scoping workshop
- Review the evidence
- Comment on the Assessment Report
- Attend the Technology Appraisal Committee
- Comment on the Appraisal Consultation Document (if NICE produces this)
- Comment on the draft Final Appraisal Determination.
Working together, we aim that every piece of NICE guidance will have proper PCT involvement.
