Proposals to transfer functions from the HFEA and HTA
Read the full outcome
Detail of outcome
Provides a summary of the main messages and themes arising from the consultation responses and a detailed analysis of what respondents said in respect of each individual question.
Original consultation
Consultation description
Taking all views into consideration, the department decided, on balance, that it will not pursue a transfer of functions at this time.
However, the department aims to achieving further efficiencies in the way the HFEA and the HTA operate and, taking account of a clear message in the consultation responses, will commission an independent review of how both bodies carry out their functions. The independent review, which will start immediately and report to ministers in April, will seriously consider the feasibility of a merger of the HFEA and the HTA.
The consultation considered whether the regulators’ responsibilities should move to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the Health Research Authority (HRA).
The move was part of broader plans to cut NHS administrative costs by more than a third by 2015. These would partly be achieved by making functions more efficient and reducing the number of NHS bodies, including arm’s length bodies – which should save over £180 million by 2014/15.
The consultation asked people for views on whether all functions of the HFEA and HTA should:
- transfer to the CQC except the HFEA functions relating to research that would pass to the HRA; and the HFEA and HTA be abolished
- transfer, as set out above, but a limited number of functions would transfer to organisations other than the CQC
- stay with the 2 bodies but achieve further savings