HTA programme welcomes treasury report

News release from the National Coordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment

13 December 2006

The NIHR HTA programme has welcomed the publication of a review of health research funding by Sir David Cooksey. Published as part of the Chancellor's pre-budget report last week, the Cooksey Review sets out recommendations to ensure that publicly funded health research is carried out in the most effective way.

A key recommendation is the establishment of an Office for Strategic Coordination of Health Research (OSCHR) to coordinate the efforts of both the National Institute for Health Research (of which the HTA programme is a part) and the Medical Research Council. The Cooksey Review urges that as part of its new role, the OSCHR should examine the case for further investment in Health Technology Assessment as part of a comprehensive spending review.

The review notes the success of the HTA programme in providing the NHS with a high quality evidence base, and suggests that the growing needs of the health service for such information could be met by expanding the programme further. Specifically, the report says that the programme could be expanded to strengthen its work commissioning primary research, clinical trials and research in themed health areas. Expansion would also allow the programme to carry out more work following up research recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

The publication of the review marks the end of an exciting year for the HTA programme. In January it received new funds which saw its annual budget more than treble under the creation of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). As one part of the NIHR, the HTA programme has now launched a major new workstream of HTA Clinical Trials, which are seen as essential for translating research into benefit for patients.

“We welcome the direction for health research outlined in the Cooksey Review, in particular the proposed Office for Strategic Coordination of Health Research (OSCHR). We are delighted with the endorsement of the work of the HTA programme and the recommendation that the programme be considered for expansion," says Professor Tom Walley, director of the HTA programme. "We have achieved a great deal this year with the swift establishment of our HTA Clinical Trials workstream. But there is still much to be done and the recommendations outlined in the Cooksey Review would allow us to build upon our important relationships with partners such as NICE and the National Screening Committee. We look forward to the outcome of the spending review and the wider changes to health research set out in Sir David Cooksey's report."

Notes:

  1. The Cooksey Review is available for download in full from the HM Treasury website http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/pre_budget_report/prebud_pbr06/other_docs/prebud_pbr06_odcooksey.cfm

Notes for editors


  1. The HTA programme is a programme of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and produces high quality research information about the effectiveness, costs, and broader impact of health technologies for those who use, manage and provide care in the NHS. It is the largest of the NIHR programmes and publishes the results of its research in the Health Technology Assessment journal, with more than 400 issues published to date. The journal’s 2007 Impact Factor (3.87) ranked it in the top 10% of medical and health-related journals. All issues are available for download free of charge from the website, www.hta.ac.uk The HTA programme is coordinated by the National Coordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment (NCCHTA), based at the University of Southampton.
  2. The National Institute for Health Research provides the framework through which the research staff and research infrastructure of the NHS in England is positioned, maintained and managed as a national research facility.  The NIHR provides the NHS with the support and infrastructure it needs to conduct first-class research funded by the Government and its partners alongside high-quality patient care, education and training.  Its aim is to support outstanding individuals (both leaders and collaborators), working in world class facilities (both NHS and university), conducting leading edge research focused on the needs of patients. www.nihr.ac.uk

Contact details

Naomi Stockley, Programme Manager (Communications)
Telephone: 02380 595 646, Email: ns5@soton.ac.uk

Helen Nikandrou, Assistant Programme Manager (Communications)
Telephone: 02380 595 584, Email: h.nikandrou@soton.ac.uk

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