Blueteq Brief
Regional HCD Pages
-
All Briefs
-
Blueteq Brief - England
-
Blueteq Brief - Wales
-
Blueteq Brief - Scotland
-
Blueteq Brief - Jersey
-
Blueteq Brief - Guernsey
-
Blueteq Brief - Northern Ireland
-
Blueteq Brief - Republic of Ireland
NICE QALY Threshold Increase — In Effect from April 2026
From April 2026, NICE’s cost-effectiveness threshold has risen from £20,000–£30,000 to £25,000–£35,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. This is the first increase in the threshold since NICE was established. The change was linked to the UK–US Economic Prosperity Deal and forms part of a broader commitment to invest around 25% more in innovative medicines. […]
SMC Decisions — April 2026
The SMC accepted five medicines and rejected one at its April 2026 meeting: Osimertinib (Tagrisso®) — Accepted for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer with specific mutations. Pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) with chemoradiotherapy — Accepted for locally advanced cervical cancer. Sotatercept (Winrevair®) — Accepted for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Nemolizumab (Nemluvio®) — Accepted for moderate to severe atopic […]
UK–US Trade Agreement and July Developments
UK–US Trade Agreement and July Developments On 2 July 2026, the Department of Health announced a series of fast-track drug access pilots from September 2026. 1 These pilots add to the cost pressures brought about by the NICE cost-effectiveness threshold increase to £25,000–£35,000 per QALY which took effect in April 2026, and the commitment under the […]
NHS Structural Policy — Health Bill
Abolishing NHS England. The Health Bill was introduced to the House of Commons on 14 May 2026. It proposes to abolish NHS England and transfer the bulk of its functions to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and to Integrated Care Boards.3 ICBs will become strategic commissioners of almost all services, including […]
Health Bill — Committee Stage Under Way
The Health Bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons on 1 June 2026. The Public Bill Committee held its first oral evidence sessions on 16 June 2026 and began line-by-line scrutiny the same day, with the Committee expected to report by 5pm on 16 July 2026. The Bill remains controversial: the Health […]
UK–US Arrangement — Relevance to Wales
The NICE threshold increase from April 2026 applies to NHS Wales, which follows NICE technology appraisals automatically. Nine additional medicines approved under the new threshold since April will require Blueteq forms to be created and activated for the Welsh deployment. The fast-track pilots announced by DHSC on 2 July are England-specific; AWMSG continues to assess […]
NHS Structural Policy — Health Bill
Abolishing NHS England. The Health Bill was introduced to the House of Commons on 14 May 2026. It proposes to abolish NHS England and transfer the bulk of its functions to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and to Integrated Care Boards.3 ICBs will become strategic commissioners of almost all services, including […]
Health Bill — Committee Stage Under Way
The Health Bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons on 1 June 2026. The Public Bill Committee held its first oral evidence sessions on 16 June 2026 and began line-by-line scrutiny the same day, with the Committee expected to report by 5pm on 16 July 2026. The Bill remains controversial: the Health […]
SMC Decisions — 13 July 2026
SMC Decisions — 13 July 2026 The Scottish Medicines Consortium published advice on six medicines on 13 July 2026. Five, which appear to be high cost drugs, were accepted. (Fezolinetant list price in the UK has not been confirmed publicly, but comparable products in the US cost approximately $10,000–15,000 per year. It is accepted within […]
SMC Decisions — 8 June 2026
The Scottish Medicines Consortium published advice on seven medicines on 8 June 2026: Blueteq comment: June SMC announcements make a substantial addition to NHS Scotland’s managed medicines portfolio. References 1. Media release: SMC decisions June 2026. Healthcare Improvement Scotland. 8 June 2026. https://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.scot/publications/media-release-smc-decisions-june-2026/ 2. Scotland Backs Bispecific Antibody for Refractory Myeloma. Medscape. 10 June 2026. […]
ENGAGEMENT IN PROGRESS
A well tried system which saves money, reduces workload, speeds prescription approval and provides instant audit reports.
UK–US Arrangement – Jersey & Guernsey
The UK–US Trade Agreement and the NICE threshold changes do not apply in Jersey or Guernsey, which are not part of the NHS and operate their own prescribing frameworks. While the arrangement does not bind either island, both Jersey and Guernsey procure most medicines through NHS supply chains or NHS framework agreements, meaning any increase […]
CHANNEL ISLANDS OPPORTUNITY — Jersey Health and Community Services
Governance that prevents recurrence: every high-cost prescription requires documented eligibility confirmation before treatment.
UK–US Arrangement – Jersey & Guernsey
The UK–US Trade Agreement and the NICE threshold changes do not apply in Jersey or Guernsey, which are not part of the NHS and operate their own prescribing frameworks. While the arrangement does not bind either island, both Jersey and Guernsey procure most medicines through NHS supply chains or NHS framework agreements, meaning any increase […]
UK–US Arrangement — Relevance to Northern Ireland
The VPAG rebate is negotiated on behalf of all four UK nations. The reduction of the VPAG rebate from 22.9% to 14.5% therefore applies to NI as does the commitment to increase spending on innovative medicines from 0.3% to 0.6% of GDP. Northern Ireland endorses NICE technology appraisals through a separate DoH NI process. The […]
DoH NI MEDICINES ACCESS REVIEW — RECOMMENDATION 2
The DoH NI Medicines Access Review (2025) specifically names the Blueteq HCD system as the recommended replacement for cost-per-case commissioning.
Medicines Access Review — Implementation
No formal announcement of progress against the ten recommendations of the 2025 Medicines Access Review has been published during May 2026. DoH NI Consultations A DoH NI consultation opened on 11 May 2026 relating to proposed changes to UK-wide medicines legislation governing the definition of gene therapies, led by the MHRA. This is not directly […]
NCPE — First National HTA Using EU Joint Clinical Assessment Data
The NCPE completed a rapid review of onasemnogene abeparvovec intrathecal (Itvisma®), Novartis’s intrathecal gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), making this the first national HTA assessment completed for a medicine undergoing an EU Joint Clinical Assessment (JCA) under the EU HTA Regulation. The JCA report was endorsed by the Member State Coordination Group on […]
NCPE Director Questions Value of Early Access Proposals
In a separate RTÉ interview broadcast 21 June 2026, NCPE Director Professor Michael Barry questioned proposals for earlier access to new medicines ahead of full reimbursement assessment. He noted that for several rare disease drugs assessed this year, none had demonstrated an overall survival benefit, and argued that early access without a negotiated price reduction […]
Minister Signs Off End-to-End Review of Drug Approval System
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill announced on RTÉ’s Prime Time, broadcast 11 June 2026, that she has signed off the tender for an end-to-end review of Ireland’s system for approving access to and funding for new drugs and medical treatments. The Minister said she approved the tender details the previous week and that the […]
617-DAY ACCESS GAP — BLUETEQ CLOSES THE FINAL PHASE
New market opportunity for HSE: a single national platform for all Managed Access Protocols.
EU HTA Milestone — First Joint Clinical Assessment
The NCPE published on 4 May 2026 that the HTA Coordination Group approved the first-ever Joint Clinical Assessment report under the EU HTA Regulation. The NCPE Ireland acted as lead assessor, working with IQWiG Germany as co-assessor. The assessment covered tovorafenib (Ojemda®), an anticancer medicine for paediatric low-grade glioma. The report has been forwarded to […]
New Framework Agreement — FASPM 2026–2029
A new pricing and reimbursement Framework Agreement (FASPM) between the HSE and the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) came into effect in 2026. Key provisions include a commitment to a 180-day new medicines review, a new declining rebate structure (beginning at 9% for medicines added in 2026), new biosimilar rules, and a requirement for suppliers […]
New Framework Agreement on Supply and Pricing of Medicines (FASPM) 2026–2029
A new Framework Agreement on the Supply and Pricing of Medicines between the HSE and the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) took effect from 1 January 2026 and runs to 31 December 2029. Key provisions include: Horizon scanning: pharmaceutical companies must notify the HSE of new medicines 12–18 months in advance of expected launch. Rebate […]
