Information for Patients

ACCESS TO MEDICINES:

What processes do medicines have to go through before they can be routinely prescribed on the NHS in Scotland?

Healthcare Improvement Scotland have produced a very useful information booklet for patients: Medicines in Scotland: What's the right treatment for me? which explains how your doctor or healthcare professional decides on the right treatment or medicine. Click on the link above to go to the page where you can access the leaflet.

There is also an accompanying short video which patients may find useful.

Access to medicines not recommended for use in NHS Scotland 

All new medicines are evaluated for clinical and cost effectiveness by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC). The SMC then advises Health Boards on whether the medicine is accepted for use in the NHS in Scotland or not. Further information on this process and reasons why medicines might not be approved can be found at: www.scottishmedicines.org.uk/about-us/

Processes exist to allow your doctor to request access to these medicines taking into consideration your individual clinical circumstances.  These processes are the Peer Approved Clinical System Tier 1 (PACS Ultra Orphan) and the Peer Approved Clinical Sytem Tier 2 (PACS 2). 

• Click here to see a patient information leaflet which explain more about the PACS 2 process in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
• Click here to see a factsheet that explains more about the IPTR process in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
• Click here to go the Medicines Policies.  Section 5.2 and 5.3 are the actual policy documents relating to IPTRs and PACS 2

Where your consultant cannot provide the advice you seek, you can use the following email address to contact an appropriate person within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde: ggc.medicines@ggc.scot.nhs.uk