An individual funding request (IFR) is a request for NHS funding for treatment that is not normally available and one which is only paid for under certain circumstances.
The NHS has limited resources and we have a duty to manage them carefully. This means we have to:
- look at the clinical reasons for exceptionalism in individual cases
- look at evidence for the safety and effectiveness of any treatment
- ensure that the services we pay for will give patients the greatest health gains from the resources we have.
How can I make an individual funding request for my patient?
The IFR process is clinically led and must be submitted by you, as the referring clinician, where you deem there are exceptional clinical circumstances for a treatment or drug to be provided that NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board (NCL ICB) does not usually fund.
Further to review of the NCL Evidence Based Interventions and Clinical Standards Policy and/or relevant Fertility Policy, to ensure that the treatment is not listed, the case should be referred to the NCL IFR Service via the IFR Blueteq system –with email applications accepted only in exceptional circumstances only (see NCL Individual Funding Request Policy).
The main objective of the online IFR Blueteq System is to simplify and streamline the application process and ensure that applicants provide only the relevant information required for proposed interventions to help the IFR decision-making.
Note that all applications need to clearly show that patient consent has been obtained. Without this, the IFR team are unable to accept referrals and these will be returned. For more information, view our guide to Individual Funding Requests.
What does the application process involve?
All IFR applications are taken through a formal clinically led weekly triage and, where this is appropriate, referred on to a monthly clinically led IFR panel for a funding decision.
In reaching a decision the IFR panel takes a number of factors into consideration including clinical effectiveness, cost effectiveness, grounds for exceptionality and equality considerations for other similar patients. Should the outcome of a IFR Panel decision not be favourable for the applicant, this can be raised with the IFR Appeals Panel to consider whether due process was followed.
We have an IFR Policy that sets out the principles behind our decisions on individual treatments. It also explains the system we have for processing each request for treatment (see NCL Individual Funding Request Policy). Please see key documents below:
How to Register for a Blueteq Account
To create an account, click on the link below and then click on the Register Here button: https://www.blueteq-secure.co.uk/trust
How to Submit an IFR Application Online
Click on the link below and enter your log in details: https://www.blueteq-secure.co.uk/trust
Then select as follows:
- Requests.
- Online form.
- Form selector (based on proposed intervention).
- Submit application.
- Upload clinical letters and any relevant documents.
Contact details
If you want to know what our policy is on a particular drug or treatment you can contact:
Individual Funding Requests (IFR) Team
NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board
Laycock PDC
Laycock Street
London, N1 1TH
Email: nclicb.ifr@nhs.net