UK

In early 2019, the Memorandum of Understanding was signed to support HTA in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Memorandum of understanding establishes a collaborative approach to the identification and assessment of new health technologies between Health Information and Quality Authority Ireland, Health Technology Assesment Group Ireland, Health Technology Wales, and the Scottish Health Technology Group. These bodies assess and give guidance on health technologies within their national healthcare systems.

In March 2019, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published two new interventional procedure guidance (for Barnett Continent Intestinal Reservoir (modified continent ileostomy) to restore continence after colon and rectum removal and high-intensity focused ultrasound for symptomatic benign thyroid nodules), and three new MedTech innovation briefings (for system for ruling out coronary artery disease in people with symptoms of stable coronary artery disease, medical imaging software tool for kidney stone evaluation, incision management system for closed surgical incisions).

NHS Digital is launching a pilot to build the process that will enable partner services to connect to NHS login, providing a single way for patients in England to verify their identity and then use the login to access digital health and care services. The five selected partners represent the range of organizations who will connect with NHS login - from large, established organizations to new players in the market. The service will begin its activities in April 2019.

New material code for voice prosthesis was added to the List of reimbursable devices of the Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV) in March 2019.

In January 2019, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published six new interventional procedure guidance, three medical technologies guidance, and three new MedTech innovation briefings for liver function capacity test, a functional electrical stimulation (FES) integrated cycling system used to start muscle contraction to stimulate trunk and limb muscles in people with spinal cord injury, laser shoe attachment used as a walking aid and is designed to help prevent freezing of gait in people with Parkinson's disease.

The NHS Long Term Plan, released on 7th of January 2019, will save almost half a million more lives with practical action on significant killer conditions and investment in world-class, cutting edge treatments including genomic tests for every child with cancer. Local NHS allocated £570 billion to fund the NHS Long Term Plan.

On January 31, 2019, NHS England and NHS Improvement launched the statutory consultation on the proposed 2019/20 national tariff. The consultation period ends at midnight, at the end of 21 February 2019.

The Clinical Coding and Schedule Development (CCSD) group develop and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclature for private payers in England. New procedure codes concern robotic-assisted laparoscopic procedures, 2-dimensional radiotherapy, revision of anti-reflux operations, etc. The codes are introduced with a recommended adoption date being the 1st of May 2019. The document also contains a list of textual changes in codes and an updated list of unacceptable combinations of codes.

In December 2018, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published one new diagnostic guidance (for tumour profiling tests to guide adjuvant chemotherapy decisions in early breast cancer), two new interventional procedure guidance (for transcutaneous neuromuscular electrical stimulation for oropharyngeal dysphagia in adults and bronchial thermoplasty for severe asthma), and four MedTech innovation briefings.

The Clinical Coding and Schedule Development (CCSD) group develops and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclature for private payers in England. In October/November 2018 new code for bilateral US Doppler vascular limb was added to the CCSD Schedule.

The Clinical Coding and Schedule Development (CCSD) group develops and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclature for private payers in England. In October/November 2018, five new procedure codes for laser correction of refractive error following non-refractive ophthalmic surgery, insertion of urethral catheterization device, injection of botulinum toxin for hyperhidrosis, laparoscopic and robotic-assisted pancreatoduodenectomy have been added to the CCSD Schedule.

The Clinical Coding and Schedule Development Group develops and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclature for private payers in England. In October, one new diagnostic code.