Drug Tariff Committee Terms of Reference
Background
Purpose
The Part IX Industry Drug Tariff Committee was formed in the early 1990s to represent companies supplying medical devices through prescription to the public, as listed in Part IX of the Drug Tariff. There is also the Drug Tariff Forum which is made up of over 200 companies who either operate or who have an interest in Part IX of the Drug Tariff. The Drug Tariff Committee represents the interests of all Forum members and operates as an interface between DHSC/NHSBSA and the forum members. Its mission is to inform and represent the views of those companies via the Part IX Industry Drug Tariff Forum to the relevant UK authorities and influence its members to be compliant with common agreements with those authorities. It recognises the critical role of Part IX of the Drug Tariff in the patient pathway and actively supports and promotes this process as the optimal solution to ensuring choice and equity of access to devices for patients, in line with the healthcare aspirations of the UK governments and the societies they serve. Key Objectives:
Scope
Membership
To provide a common voice between industry, relevant government departments and the NHS involved in Part IX of the Drug Tariff (hereinafter referred to as DT) on issues that are industry wide. To monitor and feedback the performance of the DT with regard to the application process and to work with the sponsoring body, in this case the NHS Business Services Authority, to ensure that this process is open and transparent. To engage with the DT to ensure the price increase process is used by industry Negotiate with the DT in agreeing an appropriate level of price rise based on factor X. To provide industry with information concerning the DT that may affect their business. To negotiate with the DT on specific issues raised by the Drug Tariff Forum
The Committee is comprised of representatives of all the relevant Trade Associations. Currently these are: ABHI (Association of British HealthTech Industry) BIVDA (British In-Vitro Diagnostics Association) BHTA (British Healthcare Trades Association) SDMA (Surgical Dressings Manufacturers Association) UTA (Urology Trade Association) It takes its mandate from all relevant companies, whether they are members of the Trade Associations or not, via the Part IX Industry Drug Tariff Forum. The committee comprises of four Representatives from ABHI, BHTA and SDMA and two representatives from BIVDA and UTA. There is an elected Chair and Vice-Chair
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External Stakeholders
Authority (decides, approves, recommends)
Terms of Office
Organisation NHSBSA PS DHSC PSNC SIACA NHSE/NHSI SCCL & CTSP’s HDA (Healthcare Distributors Association) Patient Groups Nursing Associations
Contact frequency Quarterly Quarterly As required As required As required As required As required As required As required
The Committee will take feedback and comments from Forum members and represent their views with External stakeholders. The Committee will also make recommendations to the forum where required. The chairman role is an elected position decided by the committee members via a voting procedure of one vote for each association. The term of office is for three years with an opportunity to stand for a further three years if elected. The same procedure applies to the Vice-Chair role.
Meeting arrangements
Reporting
Resources
Drug Tariff Committee meeting will be held 4 times per year, once per Quarter, with at least one Drug Tariff forum meeting per year The committee meeting minutes will be distributed to all Association and Forum members along with meeting minutes from external stakeholder meetings. Also Part IX statistics and other communications will be distributed promptly to all forum members including time frames for application approvals. The secretariat support is provided, on a rotational basis, by one of the Trade associations. All trade associations should have the capacity to take on the secretariat role. The secretariat support is for a three-year period and after 30 months discussions will begin to agree on the association who will provide the support for the next three years. There should be a smooth transition from one association to another via a handover period of two months.
Review of ToR
This document should be reviewed every three years or sooner if the Committee decide.
Review timings
Document created: December 2019 Next Review December 2022
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