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Interim Cancer Drug Fund

Request

I am writing to request information on the Interim Cancer Drugs Fund, which was in place from 1st October 2010 to 31st March 2011.

I would be very grateful if you could answer the following questions:

2.         How much money was committed up to the 31st March 2011, not including cost of continuing treatment?

3.         How much money has been committed beyond 31st March 2011, including cost of continuing treatment?

4.         How much of the fund was remaining at the end of the 6 month period up to 31st March 2011, and what happened to the money that had not been allocated?

5.         Which drugs were approved for funding from the Interim Cancer Drugs Fund?

6.         How many applications for funding were received between October 1st 2010 and March 31st 2011, overall and by month?

7.         How many of the funding requests were accepted, and how many were rejected?

8.         How many of these requests were accepted or rejected for each drug?

Our response

I refer to your email requesting information in respect of the Interim Cancer Drug Fund.

I can confirm in accordance with S.1 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) that we do not hold all of the information that you have requested.  However, I will address each of your points in turn:

2.         How much money was committed up to the 31st March 2011, not including cost of continuing treatment?

3.         How much money has been committed beyond 31st March 2011, including cost of continuing treatment?

  • Just under £2 million of commitments were carried through to 2011/12.

4.         How much of the fund was remaining at the end of the 6 month period up to 31st March 2011, and what happened to the money that had not been allocated?

  • The under spend can be derived from the monitoring report referred to above.  As the underspend could not be carried forward to      2011/12, it was distributed on a capitation share across East Midlands Primary Care Trusts to support local health priorities.  

5.         Which drugs were approved for funding from the Interim Cancer Drugs Fund?

  • The attached “fast track” dated January 2011 lists details the drugs/indications that were routinely approved. It replaced an earlier     list that was reviewed/extended by the clinical panel.  The list was extended further in April 2011. Other applications were          considered by the Clinical Panel on a case by case basis. 

6.         How many applications for funding were received between October 1st 2010 and March 31st 2011, overall and by month?

  • This is detailed on the monitoring report shown on the website.

7.         How many of the funding requests were accepted, and how many were rejected?

  • As above.

8.         How many of these requests were accepted or rejected for each drug?

  • NHS East Midlands do not hold this information.  The day to day administration of the fund is undertaken by the East Midlands Specialised Commissioning Group who will have more detailed records of applications by drug.  Please note however that where there is a possibility that patients could be identified, this information will not be released.  Section 40(2) of the FOIA protects data about another individual whose disclosure would breach the data protection principles of the Data protection Act.

I hope that this information is of use.  If you are dissatisfied with the way in which we have dealt with your request you can ask us to review our decision by writing to:-

Mr Moosa Patel
Director of Corporate Affairs
NHS East Midlands
Octavia House
Interchange Business Park
Bostock's Lane
Sandiacre
Nottingham
NG10 5QG
 
If at the conclusion of any review you remain dissatisfied you may complain to the Information Commissioner who can be contacted at:-

The Office of the Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF