Today, the Government published the new Medical Technology Strategy. The strategy will focus on accelerating access to innovative technologies and sets out next steps for ensuring these technologies are accessible throughout the NHS.
Our Policy Lead Ellie Kearney commented on the strategy:
“We are extremely happy that after the delays, and change of personale, the Government has finally published the MedTech Strategy. The MedTech industry has been waiting for the strategy for a long time, hoping to be recognised as a key player in solving challenges the NHS is facing.
“We are encouraged by the fact that many of our key policy recommendations made it to the final report, such as making the supply chain more resilient; increasing awareness among clinicians; greater use of real-world evidence; streamlined approach across all areas of technology within the health system; and a centralised approach to data collection.
“It was also inspiring for many of our members to see the Minister for Health and Social Care, Will Quince MP, recognise the value that medtech can bring to the NHS, particularly noting robots that can perform complex surgeries saving invaluable time and resources, as well as possibilities in prevention and diagnostics.
“However, the strategy goes nowhere near enough to truly address the challenges in MedTech adoption in England. It takes approximately 17 years for a device to be adopted in the NHS, and it is extremely disappointing that the strategy did not touch on faster adoption routes. It also offered no solutions for sustainable long-term funding solutions which are key for SMEs and the industry at large if they hope to be adopted within the NHS at this time of need.
“We will continue to liaise with the MedTech Directorate to ensure the implementation plan benefits the MedTech sector and hope to prioritise the key areas that were left unaddressed within the strategy.
You can find the strategy in full here