PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 259 - 22 Apr 2000

NICE, nursing and the NHS: morenews from the UK

New medicines should not be made available on theUK National Health Service (NHS) until both theirclinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness have beenevaluated by the National Institute for ClinicalExcellence (NICE), recommends a report* from theRoyal College of Physicians.1 After it has been decidedthat a new medicine is eligible for purchase by the NHS,the medicine should be made available everywhere; it ishoped that this will end ‘postcode prescribing’.

Meanwhile, the UK Health Secretary Alan Milburn hasreleased a set of reforms designed to give nurses acentral role in patient care.2 He has identified 10 tasksthat all appropriately skilled nurses should be able to do:order diagnostic tests; make and receive referrals; admitand discharge patients with certain conditions; managetheir own patient caseloads; run their own clinics;prescribe medicines and treatment; perform a range ofresuscitation procedures; perform minor surgery andoutpatient procedures; use computerised decisionsupport to triage patients; and influence local healthservice organisations. Following the approval of > 140nurse consultants, it is planned that a second group ofnurse consultants will be approved this year, and thatnurse prescribing will be extended to hospitals for thefirst time.

On a less optimistic note, a report** from the NationalAudit Office indicates that nearly a third of the extra£600 million released to the NHS from last month’sbudget may be used to pay £197 million of accumulatedNHS debts.3

* ‘The Prescribing of Costly Medicines’** ‘The NHS (England) Summarised Accounts 1998–99’

1. Wise J. Report lays out strategy to end postcode prescribing. BMJ 320: 1027, 15Apr 2000.

2. Beecham L. UK health secretary wants to liberate nurses’ talents. BMJ 320:1025, 15 Apr 2000.

3. Moore W. NHS in England ends financial year 200 million pound sterling indebt. BMJ 320: 1030e, 15 Apr 2000. Available from: URL: http://www.bmj.com.

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 22 Apr 2000 No. 2591173-5503/10/0259-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved