Section 7 of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Constitution and Functions) and the Health and Social Care Information Centre (Functions) Regulations 2013 requires integrated care boards, NHS England and, with respect to their public health functions, local authorities to comply with the recommendations in this evaluation within 3 months of its date of publication (29 March 2023).
The Welsh ministers have issued directions to the NHS in Wales on implementing NICE technology appraisal guidance. When a NICE technology appraisal 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NHS in Wales must usually provide funding and resources for it within 2 months of the first publication of the final draft guidance.
When NICE recommends a treatment 'as an option', the NHS must make sure it is available within the period set out in the paragraphs above. This means that, if a patient has COVID‑19 and the doctor responsible for their care thinks that nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir, sotrovimab or tocilizumab is the right treatment, it should be available for use, in line with NICE's recommendations.
In Scotland, the advice will have the same status for health board consideration as other Scottish Medicines Consortium advice on new medicines.