Our committees
Click on the links or scroll down the page for information about:
- All Wales Medicine Strategy Group (AWMSG)
- AWMSG Steering Committee
- AWMSG Scrutiny Panel
- Licensed One Wales Medicines Assessment Group (LOWMAG)
- One Wales Medicines Assessment Group (OWMAG)
- All Wales Prescribing Advisory Group (AWPAG)
- Quality Assurance Group for Individual Patient Funding Requests (IPFR)
All Wales Medicine Strategy Group (AWMSG)
The All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) advises Welsh Government on strategic developments in medicines access and medicines management relating to:
- Helping people to get the best outcomes from their medicines;
- Enabling access to the right medicines at the right time;
- Minimising medicines-related harm and improving medication safety; and,
- Optimising the value that NHS Wales achieves from its investment in medicines.
Download the AWMSG Constitution
AWMSG provides oversight and governance of its sub-groups (the All Wales Prescribing Advisory Group, the One Wales Medicines Assessment Group and the Licensed One Wales Medicines Assessment Group) and quality assures their recommendations by endorsement. If AWMSG is unable to endorse a recommendation, their rationale for non-endorsement must be stated and returned to the appropriate sub-group for further consideration. This allows AWMSG to re-consider recommendations if further information is supplied after which AWMSG will make their final decision.
AWTTC supports AWMSG and its subgroups. AWTTC’s staff work on medicines assessments; managing medicines prescribing, safety and toxicology; and analysing prescribing data which is then considered by AWMSG and its subgroups.
Medicines strategy for Wales
The All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) Strategy, which aligns to the priorities of both NHS Wales and Welsh Government, will play an important part in ensuring all people in Wales can receive health services that meet their needs.
Read the AWMSG Strategy for Wales: 2024-2029
Previous versions of the AWMSG strategy are available from the Medicines Strategy for Wales page.
AWMSG membership
The committee is made up of NHS consultants, GPs, nurses, pharmacists, health economists, pharmaceutical industry representatives and lay members who combine their expertise and knowledge to agree on the use of medicines in primary and secondary care in Wales. The Chair of AWMSG is Professor Iolo Doull, Medical Director of the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee (JCC). A list of AWMSG voting members will be available from here in early 2025.
AWMSG usually meets 10 times a year and meetings are open to the public. The dates and meeting papers for future AWMSG meetings plus minutes and agendas of past meetings are available from the AWMSG meetings page.
All AWMSG members have to complete a Declaration of Interest form every year and before taking part in any AWMSG meeting.
AWMSG annual reports
The latest AWMSG annual report and previous AWMSG annual reports are available from the AWMSG annual reports page.
History of AWMSG
In late 1999, Welsh Government’s Health and Social Services Minister set up a Task & Finish Group for Prescribing, chaired by Sir Norman Mills, to advise on improving prescribing practices and the provision of medicines in Wales. The Task & Finish Group recommended setting up an All-Wales Medicines Strategy Group and developing an All-Wales Prescribing Strategy. The All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) was established in 2002 to advise Welsh Government on medicines management and prescribing in an effective, efficient and transparent manner.
Download the report of the Task and Finish Group for Prescribing, published in 2001.
AWMSG Steering Committee
The AWMSG Steering Committee oversees and steers the work of AWMSG and monitors and evaluates AWMSG activities to ensure that they are in keeping with the founding principles and values. The AWMSG Steering Committee also ensures the effective management of AWMSG and its sub-committees.
Download the AWMSG Steering Committee Constitution.
The committee meets every month, in private. The Chair of the AWMSG Steering Committee is Professor Iolo Doull who is the Chair of AWMSG. A list of Steering Committee voting members will be available from here in early 2025.
AWMSG Scrutiny Panel
The AWMSG Scrutiny Panel decides whether advice on a medicine is needed in NHS Wales and, if so, the most appropriate route for assessment. Medicines will be considered for assessment where there is a clinical need and/or benefit to NHS Wales and the people it serves.
Download the AWMSG Scrutiny Panel Constitution.
The panel meet every month, in private, and summaries of their decisions are available at AWMSG Scrutiny Panel decisions. The Chair of the AWMSG Scrutiny Panel is Tony Williams, Head of the Patient Access to Medicines Service at AWTTC. A list of AWMSG Scrutiny Panel voting members will be available from here in early 2025.
Licensed One Wales Medicines Assessment Group (LOWMAG)
The Licensed One Wales Medicines Assessment Group (LOWMAG) is a sub-group of AWMSG and advises on existing and newly licensed medicines to enable patient access in the absence of technology appraisal advice from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). LOWMAG provides recommendations to AWMSG on licensed medicines when there is an unmet clinical need or an opportunity to add value. LOWMAG do this by considering the evidence of cost-effectiveness (when available), clinical effectiveness, budget impact and societal issues and take account of the views of clinicians, patients, patient support groups and the manufacturer of the medicine being assessed.
Download the LOWMAG Constitution.
LOWMAG meets up to 10 times a year in private, to talk about all the evidence for each medicine being assessed. At the meeting they will make a recommendation which will then be sent to AWMSG for endorsement. The Chair of LOWMAG is Professor James Coulson, Consultant Clinical Pharmacologist at Cardiff and Vale UHB and AWTTC's Clinical Director. A list of LOWMAG voting members will be available from here in early 2025.
All LOWMAG members have to fill in a Declaration of Interest form every year and before taking part in any LOWMAG meeting
One Wales Medicines Assessment Group (OWMAG)
The One Wales Medicines Assessment Group (OWMAG) is a sub-group of AWMSG and advises on off-label medicines that are the subject of major uncertainty across NHS Wales and for which a clear clinical need within NHS Wales has been demonstrated. OWMAG considers the off-label status of the medicine for the proposed indication and any associated uncertainties surrounding the evidence base for its use.
Download the OWMAG Constitution.
OWMAG meets up to 10 times a year in private, to talk about all the evidence for each medicine being assessed. At the meeting they will make a recommendation which will then be sent to AWMSG for endorsement. The Chair of OWMAG is under appointment and a list of OWMAG voting members will be available from here in early 2025.
All OWMAG members have to fill in a Declaration of Interest form every year and before taking part in any OWMAG meeting.
Minutes from previous meetings are available from the OWMAG meetings page.
All Wales Prescribing Advisory Group (AWPAG)
The All Wales Prescribing Advisory Group (AWPAG) is a sub-group of AWMSG and advises on strategic developments in the prescribing of medicines and their safe and effective use in Wales.
AWPAG works to:
- develop and implement strategies to promote safe, rational, and cost-effective prescribing
- monitor medicines prescribing patterns and develop appropriate indicators
- advise on training, education and professional development for medicines prescribers
- assess the effects of developments involving medicines
- collaborate with other groups and organisations to promote the best use of medicines for patients in Wales.
You can download information about AWPAG membership and the AWPAG Constitution. The Chair of AWPAG is Dr Laurence Gray, Consultant Clinical Pharmacologist at Cardiff and Vale UHB.
AWPAG meetings are held in private. Dates of AWPAG meetings for this year and minutes from previous meetings are available from the AWPAG meetings page.
All AWPAG members have to complete a Declaration of Interest form every year and before taking part in any AWPAG meeting.
Quality Assurance Advisory Group for Individual Patient Funding Requests (IPFR)
The IPFR Quality Assurance Advisory Group meets every three months to review a sample of individual patient funding requests made across Wales. It ensures that each health board and the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee have followed the correct processes. They advise panels on any areas that need improvement and share examples of good practice across the panels. The IPFR Quality Assurance Advisory Group is not a sub-group of AWMSG but is accountable to and reports to the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Wales.
Minutes from previous meetings and Terms of Reference are available from the IPFR Quality Assurance Advisory Group page. The Chair of the Group is Professor James Coulson, Consultant Clinical Pharmacologist at Cardiff and Vale UHB and AWTTC's Clinical Director.