NHS England has approved NHS funding for three new specialised treatments and services in the first of two prioritisation rounds.
From April next year, immediate antiretroviral treatment for HIV in adults and adolescents, a new specialised service for adults with the genetic disorder primary ciliary dyskinesia, and a new specialised service for the serious skin disorder Stevens-Johnson syndrome, will be made available to NHS patients.
An estimated 3,000 patients are expected to benefit from access to these new treatments and services in the first year of their use, and thousands more annually after that, NHS England says.
NHS England’s prioritisation process for specialised commissioning has now moved from an annual cycle to twice a year, the idea being to accelerate introduction of important new evidence-based treatments and services for patients.
Further treatments from the list will be considered during a second round of assessments in May, it said.
