Hansard

The Convener Lab

Item 9 on our agenda is an evidence-taking session in which we will have a progress update on access to new medicines. It is a round-table session, so we wil...

Lesley Loeliger (PNH Scotland)

I am the chair of PNH Scotland.

Dennis Robertson (Aberdeenshire West) (SNP) SNP

I am the SNP member for Aberdeenshire West.

Malcolm Chisholm Lab

I am the MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith.

Leigh Smith (Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland)

I am from Melanoma Action and Support Scotland, but I am here representing the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland.

Mike MacKenzie (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) SNP

I represent the Highlands and Islands.

Natalie Frankish (Genetic Alliance UK)

I am the development officer for Scotland for Genetic Alliance UK and Rare Disease UK.

Colin Keir (Edinburgh Western) (SNP) SNP

I am the MSP for Edinburgh Western.

Mark White (NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde)

I am the director of finance in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Richard Lyle SNP

I am an MSP for Central Scotland.

Aileen Muir (NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde)

I am the lead pharmacist for governance in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Nanette Milne Con

I am an MSP for North East Scotland.

Professor Rob Jones (Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre)

I am a medical oncologist at the Beatson in Glasgow.

Fiona McLeod SNP

I am the MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, and I am the deputy convener of the committee.

Sandra Auld (Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry)

I am the director of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry in Scotland.

Dr Catriona McMahon (Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry)

I am the lead Scottish Medicines Consortium member for industry, working with the ABPI and companies. I am also an Edinburgh-trained physician.

The Convener Lab

We will go directly to questions from the committee.

Nanette Milne Con

I am interested in hearing how things are progressing with access to new medicines. As you know, the committee has done a lot of work on the issue over the y...

The Convener Lab

That sets the scene. We have received written evidence, but everyone has a chance to place issues on the record today.

Lesley Loeliger

Two weeks ago, I was fortunate to take part in the patient and clinician engagement meetings that have been taking place in the SMC. As a patient, I had an a...

Professor Jones

I will try to represent the views of my colleagues at the Beatson. We have noticed a significant lowering of the threshold for the acceptance of drugs by the...

The Convener Lab

I am trying to encourage the MSPs around the table, but they are not putting their hands up to speak. We have a panel here, however, and we are going to give...

Leigh Smith

I hope that everyone has read Dr Andrew Walker’s submission. Andrew is an academic and a poacher turned gamekeeper, one might say, or perhaps a gamekeeper tu...

Natalie Frankish

I agree with what Leigh Smith says. One of the real strengths of the new system is the way in which patients and questions are involved in the PACE process, ...

Sandra Auld

The ABPI commends the SMC for the substantial process changes that it has gone through. It has worked very hard to pull through those changes. If the intenti...

The Convener Lab

From the written evidence and from what the panel have said, it appears that genuine progress has been made. The committee was looking for more yeses in the ...

Mark White

There is not much more to add. The new medicines fund has been excellent in allowing us to allocate resources to rare and orphan drugs without having to dive...

The Convener Lab

What level of funding is given to the likes of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde?

Mark White

In 2015-16, the total pot of the new medicines fund was £90 million. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s share from the national resource allocation committee eq...

The Convener Lab

The 2016-17 figures are down, so there will be a gap.