29 April 2025
The new Commercial Arrangement Scheme Wales Group (CASWG) has been inaugurated to support implementation of AWMSG and NICE recommended medicines associated with a commercial arrangement.
The Commercial Medicines Access Team (CMAT) is a collaborative multi-organisational team comprised of colleagues from AWTTC, NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership (NWSSP) and the Medicines Value Unit. The role and responsibility of CMAT is to support and monitor the implementation of AWMSG and NICE recommended medicines associated with a commercial arrangement within NHS Wales. A commercial arrangement improves the cost-effectiveness of a medicine; it can be a Patient Access Scheme (PAS) or a Commercial Access Agreement (CAA). This underpins the essence of A Healthier Wales, allowing patients to have timely access to medicines, while also ensuring that the NHS in Wales obtains the maximum possible value for money where medicines are concerned.
CMAT are processing an increasing number of commercial arrangements and with an increase in the number of complex CAAs coming to Wales the process of managing, monitoring and retrieving rebates for NHS Wales has become significantly more challenging. To support this work, AWTTC have established the Commercial Arrangement Scheme Wales Group (CASWG), an AWMSG sub-committee which will provide increased stakeholder involvement, transparency and governance to the approval of commercial arrangements on behalf of NHS Wales.
More information on the role of CASWG including its constitution is available from the Our committees webpage.
Submit a commercial arrangement to NHS Wales webpage gives further information for pharmaceutical companies.