Patient Access Schemes
Companies can submit Patient Access Schemes (PAS) to improve the cost effectiveness of a medicine.
The Patient Access Scheme Assessment Group (PASAG) reviews and advises NHSScotland on the feasibility of proposed schemes for implementation. It operates separately from SMC to maintain the integrity of the assessment process.
Guidance on PAS
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Patient Access Scheme Guidance 459kb (PDF)
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Patient Access Scheme (PAS) Standard Terms - January 2020 (for reference).
The PAS Standard Terms were updated and included in PAS application forms from December 2025. A high proportion of existing PAS in operation are governed by previous versions of the Standard Terms (revised in May 2013 or in January 2020), these versions have been maintained on the webpage for reference.
NHS Scotland Standard Terms for Patient Access Schemes – May 2013 (for reference)
The PAS Standard Terms were updated in January 2020. All PAS submissions from 1 March 2020 will be governed under these terms. A high proportion of existing PAS in operation is governed by the previous version of the Standard Terms (revised in May 2013), this version has been maintained on the webpage for reference.
NICE Multiple Technology Appraisals
From 1 October 2017, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Multiple Technology Appraisals (MTAs) will no longer be assessed by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) for applicability to NHSScotland. Any new medicines that are going through the NICE MTA process and have not been assessed by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) will require a submission to SMC. This change has no bearing on MTAs that have been endorsed by HIS to date; the advice from these MTAs will continue to apply.
To support Health Board Area Drug and Therapeutics Committees (ADTC), in considering the outputs of NICE MTAs, at the point NICE issues their final MTA advice, PASAG shares up-to-date pricing information with ADTCs for products within the scope of the MTA along with confirmation of whether pricing used in the NICE assessment is in line with pricing in Scotland.