§ Mr. MaplesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has given to NHS trusts on the criteria to be used in prioritising patients for implantable cardiac defibrillator procedures. [172900]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) undertook a technology appraisal and published guidance on the use of implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICD) for arrhythmias in 2000. It was circulated to all national health service trusts and it detailed which patients should be considered for the use of ICDs.
This is currently being reviewed by NICE and further guidance is expected to be published in July 2004.
A copy of the current guidance has been placed in the Library and can be found on the NICE website at: http://www.nice.org.uk/pdf/nice+defibrillator++guidance.pdf