Not all procedures, medicines and medical devices are routinely offered to NHS patients.
However, there may be situations where a clinician believes that their patient’s clinical situation is so different to other patients with the same condition that they should have their treatment paid for when other patients would not.
Similarly, sometimes patients are required to meet certain criteria to be eligible for specific NHS treatments. However, a clinician may believe that a patient’s individual circumstance means they should be offered the treatment, even if they do not meet the criteria.
In these cases, clinicians work with us to decide whether their patient should receive the treatment in question.
Policies and relevant documents
Legacy policies still in effect
NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board (N&S ICB) was established on 1 April 2026.
While new policies are being reviewed and developed, some legacy policies from the N&S ICB’s predecessor organisations – NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB and NHS Suffolk and North East Essex ICB – remain in effect.
Please refer to the policies applicable to your area, as outlined below.
Norfolk and Waveney
Clinical threshold policies and information relating to Individual Funding Requests (IFRs) are available via the Knowledge NoW website.
Suffolk (excluding Waveney)
Please refer to the legacy NHS Suffolk and North East Essex ICB Clinical Priorities Policy.