Our committees

Click on the links or scroll down the page for information about:

• All Wales Medicine Strategy Group (AWMSG)
• New Medicines Group (NMG)
• All Wales Prescribing Advisory Group (AWPAG)
• AWMSG Steering Committee
• One Wales Medicines Advisory Group (OWMAG)
• Quality Assurance Group for Individual Patient Funding Requests (IPFR)
• Yellow Card Centre Wales Advisory Board

All Wales Medicine Strategy Group (AWMSG)

The All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) advises Welsh Government about the use, management and prescribing of medicines in Wales. AWTTC supports AWMSG and its subgroups. The role of AWMSG is to:

• Develop timely, independent and authoritative advice on new medicines.
• Advise Welsh Government about future developments in healthcare.
• Help Welsh Government to develop a medicines prescribing strategy for Wales.

Download the AWMSG Constitution

AWTTC supports AWMSG and its subgroups: the New Medicines Group (NMG) and the All Wales Prescribing Advisory Group (AWPAG). AWTTC’s staff work on health technology 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.

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.

• Code of Conduct and Declaration of Interest guidance
• Declaration of Interest form

AWMSG voting members are:

Representatives from Welsh Government, the New Medicines Group (NMG) and the All Wales Therapeutics and Toxicology Centre (AWTTC) also come to our meetings but are non-voting.

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. 

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New Medicines Group (NMG)

The New Medicines Group (NMG) is a sub-group of AWMSG and supports the assessments of new medicines. NMG members consider all the evidence about how well a medicine works and how much it will cost NHS Wales (clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness). This includes all the information submitted by a pharmaceutical company, healthcare professionals and patients, carers and patient organisations or support groups.

NMG meets up to 10 times a year, to talk about all the evidence for each medicine being assessed. At the meeting they will agree on a recommendation to give to AWMSG about each medicine. Dates of NMG meetings for this year are available from the NMG meetings page.

All NMG meetings are held in private.

You can download information about NMG membership and NMG constitution.

All NMG members have to fill in a Declaration of Interest form every year and before taking part in any NMG meeting.

• Code of Conduct and Declaration of Interest guidance
• Declaration of Interest form

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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.

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.

• Code of Conduct and Declaration of Interest guidance
• Declaration of Interest form

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AWMSG Steering Committee

The Steering Committee plans and prioritises the AWMSG work programme.

The committee is made up of:

• the Chair of AWMSG
• Welsh Government representatives
• All Wales Therapeutics and Toxicology Centre (AWTTC) representatives.

The committee meets every month, in private, to:

• advise and support AWMSG members
• monitor progress on our work
• plan our medicines appraisals programme
• talk about the work of AWPAG, NMG, the TDA Partnership Group, and our working groups
• hear reports on meetings attended by AWMSG members, AWTTC and Welsh Government.

To talk about the medicines appraisals programme, representatives of the following may be invited:

• Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee (WHSSC)
• Chief Pharmacists in Wales
• Cardiac Network
• Cancer Network
• All Wales Drug Contracting Committee
• National Medicines Management Programme Board.

Members of AWMSG may also be invited to Steering Committee meetings.

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One Wales Medicines Assessment Group (OWMAG)

OWMAG was formerly known as the Interim Pathways Commissioning Group (IPCG) until June 2021. OWMAG comprises representation from all IPFR panels, a lay member, industry representative, finance representative, a clinical pharmacologist and a health economist. You can download information about OWMAG membership.

Minutes from previous meetings are available from the OWMAG meetings page.

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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.

Minutes from previous meetings and Terms of Reference are available from the IPFR Quality Assurance Advisory Group page.

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