We were pleased to learn recently that the Department of Health has published a document which sets out various objectives for the NHS to achieve.
This draft mandate to the NHS Commissioning Board sets out new care objectives for the improvement of health and healthcare, expectations for health service delivery within the next few years, and marks the move to a more patient centred NHS.
Objective 17 of this draft mandate majors on research and innovation specifically, and point three clearly states:
- Promote access to clinically appropriate drugs recommended by NICE, in line with the NHS Constitution.
This factor should therefore have a positive impact on patient accessibility to pumps, so we will be taking a good look at this mandate and would request that you do the same.
The government is consulting on the proposed objectives until 26 September and responses will help to inform the final care objectives, which will be published in Autumn 2012, before they officially come into force in April 2013.
Please go to www.mandate.dh.gov.uk to ensure you have your say.