Introducing costly new drugs not priority since pandemic
A POLITICIAN who helped persuade the States to improve access to drugs and treatments for thousands of islanders has explained why she now wants to slow down the process.
Heidi Soulsby was Health & Social Care president when she was successful in arguing for a phased introduction in Guernsey of new medicines that had been approved for use in the UK’s National Health Service.
These National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice)-approved treatments are expensive and the cost of introducing them, to benefit around 3,000 islanders, was estimated at £5.6m. in the first year and £8.3m. in the second.
‘It is not something I would have wanted to see recommended,’ she said of the proposed delay, ‘having been the one who had to present the policy letter on Nice drugs to the States in January 2020.’
Her support for the package came before the island experienced a global pandemic.
‘This has not only had a major impact on States’ finances, but also on the provision of services.’
Waiting times for operations and treatments had increased considerably over the last year, particularly for those off-island, and that needed to be addressed as a matter of urgency, she said.
The just-published Government Work Plan showed clearly that the island could not do everything with the resources it had and therefore needed to balance competing demands and prioritise what it did.
She is now vice-president of Policy & Resources, which has recommended delaying the introduction of Nice drugs with what is known as an incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) of between £30,000 and £40,000 by a year and to undertake a review before they are introduced, rather than after.
However, she said, the work to bring in all Nice drugs with an ICER of up to £30,000 was still going ahead as planned with the required funding, and there was no suggestion that should be changed.
Deputy Soulsby said in addition the Government Work Plan contained many actions and sought additional funding that would directly benefit islanders’ health and wellbeing recovery. That included delivering Supporting Occupational Health and Wellbeing (SOHWELL) and launching a pilot wellbeing centre jointly with third-sector partners.
‘It equally seeks to secure significant investment in areas that directly impact the wider determinants of health, including housing, education, skills and employment,’ she said.
The recommended changes to Nice technology appraisals for new treatments in the GWP was made by P&R following a recommendation from a political sub-committee tasked with reviewing proposed recovery actions for the island.
The States will debate the GWP next month and decide whether to approve P&R’s recommended delay or go ahead with it and fund the cost in some other way.
