Public Meetings - Evaluation of Individual Funding Request

EVALUATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL FUNDING REQUEST PROCESS
PUBLIC MEETINGS

 

The Minister for Health Social Services and Public Safety commissioned an evaluation of the Individual Funding Request (IFR) process. The evaluation was in response to concerns that the process was not providing access to specialist drugs that are not routinely available in circumstances where there is an agreed clinical need. The evaluation is complete and five recommendations have been published which aim to strengthen the process and improve access to specialist drugs not routinely available. The recommendations are as follows:

 

1. 1.     That the existing exceptionality criteria should be amended to remove the reference to 95%.
2. 2.     That the establishment of regional scrutiny committees should be considered to ensure all IFR applications are subject to regionally consistent clinical input and peer review.
3. 3.     That the existing IFR guidance should be revised to include greater transparency and to enhance patient involvement.
4. 4.     That the Department should establish a Specialist Medicines Fund to meet the costs of administering and maintaining increased access to specialist drugs.
5. 5.     In order to resource the new fund, the HSC should re-introduce charging for prescriptions.

 

A number of public meetings have been organised to provide an opportunity for public discussion of the proposed changes. Anyone interested in the evaluation and its purpose is invited to come along and have an opportunity to add your views and comments into the process.

 

Whether you are a patient, a carer, a member of Health and Social Care staff or just interested in our Health Services then this is an opportunity to have your opinions considered.

 

The Public Meetings will take place at a number of venues across Northern Ireland as listed below.

 

Date

Time

Venue

24 March 2015

7.00 – 8.30

Lecture Theatre 1, Altnagelvin Area Hospital, Glenshane Road, Londonderry BT47 6SB

31 March 20125

7.00 – 8.30

Lakeview 2, Craigavon Civic Centre, Lakeview Road, Craigavon BT64 1AL

13 April 2015

7.00 – 8.30

The Chestnut Suite, Lagan Valley Island Civic  Centre, Lisburn BT27 4RL

21 April 2015

7.00 – 8.30

Antrim Civic Centre, 50 Stiles Way, Antrim BT41 2UB

28 April 2015

7.00 – 8.30

Belfast City Hospital, 51 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7AB

 

 

Whilst registration is not compulsory, to assist with catering arrangements it would be helpful if you could register your intention to attend by emailing us at the email address below.  

 

[email protected]

or post to:

Secondary Care Directorate, DHSSPSNI,   Castle Building, Belfast, BT4 3SQ