Section 8(6) of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Constitution and Functions) and the Health and Social Care Information Centre (Functions) Regulations 2013 requires clinical commissioning groups, NHS England and, with respect to their public health functions, local authorities to comply with the recommendation in this evaluation within 3 months of its date of publication.
The Welsh ministers have issued directions to the NHS in Wales on implementing NICE highly specialised technologies guidance. When a NICE highly specialised technologies guidance recommends the use of a drug or treatment, or other technology, the NHS in Wales must usually provide funding and resources for it within 2 months of the first publication of the final evaluation determination. The Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee has written to the Welsh minister to request an extension to the implementation period because of the scale of the service planning required for this treatment. It stated that it planned to deliver this technology in collaboration with NHS England, and that it anticipated implementing the recommendation in this evaluation from April 2018 (that is, 3 months after its anticipated date of publication).
When NICE recommends a treatment 'as an option', the NHS must make sure it is available within 3 months. This means that, if a patient has adenosine deaminase deficiency–severe combined immunodeficiency and the doctor responsible for their care thinks that Strimvelis is the right treatment, it should be available for use, in line with NICE's recommendation.