§ Mr. HavardTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to encourage the NHS to adopt new medical technologies that are clinically proven to help patients be treated outside hospital. [95574]
§ Ms BlearsThe Department's Modernisation Agency is in place to support new practices and innovative approaches and will help to make a significant contribution in this area.
Clinical effectiveness and patient safety are of course paramount concerns, and before any new medical technology is used it must, as a minimum, comply with United Kingdom and European regulations for medical devices and with clinical protocols agreed with the relevant professional bodies.