AWTTC host another successful annual IPFR workshop

12 July 2024

It was a stimulating day of learning at the Individual Patient Funding Request (IPFR) workshop hosted by the All Wales Therapeutics and Toxicology Centre (AWTTC) on 16 May at Cardiff City Stadium.

The annual workshop is a training event for IPFR panel members, health board colleagues involved in the delivery of the IPFR process and clinicians with an interest in learning more about IPFR.

AWTTC’s Clinical Director Professor James Coulson welcomed delegates to the day which was well attended from across all the Welsh Health Boards, the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Service (JCC) and Health Technology Wales (HTW).

Tony Williams, AWTTC Head of Patient Access to Medicines started the morning with an update on new initiatives at AWTTC relating to medicines access including the launch of the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group new 5-year Strategy, and changes to medicines assessment routes in Wales.

Clinicians were then invited to attend a training session on completing IPFR application forms and e-submissions hosted by Rosie Spears from AWTTC and Ann-Marie Matthews, lead IPFR co-ordinator, Aneurin Bevan UHB. The remaining delegates heard from Professor Coulson, who is also the Chair of the IPFR Quality Assurance Group, about key themes picked up from the last 12 months of quality assuring the IPFR process. This was followed by health economists Dr Tom Winfield from AWTTC and Dr Rebecca Boyce from HTW who delivered a comprehensive session on health economics, thresholds and comparative analysis and how to assess the value of interventions.

At the previous year’s workshop, a consultant oncologist from Velindre Cancer Centre gave an authentic account of the IPFR process from a submitting clinician’s perspective; this year, delegates were very interested and grateful to hear the experience of a patient who received treatment via the IPFR process.

After lunch delegates had the chance to go through case studies and form panels to consider examples of IPFR submissions and decide whether funding should be approved or not which led to some interesting discussions.

For more information visit IPFR workshops - All Wales Therapeutics and Toxicology Centre (nhs.wales)