Law ‘will end drugs postcode lottery’ claim

Andrew Lansley said there were already laws in place which say that when the National Institute of Clinical Evidence (Nice) recommends a drug for use, it should be available everywhere. But he told MPs this had not been implemented by the last government.

Labour MP John Healey (Wentworth and Dearne) asked: “If Nice says a drug should be available on the NHS wherever they live, whatever their clinical commissioning group, will they get it? Can you give that guarantee today?”

Mr Lansley said: “What the NHS chief executive’s innovation report in early December made clear was that firstly we will make certain that where Nice gives a positive appraisal for medicine that it is automatically included.”