Two and a half years since the publication of the NHS Five Year Forward View, NHS England has today issued a plan outlining what has been achieved together with changes that will take place in key areas including the use of technology.
Like its predecessor, the plan acknowledges the importance of the NHS harnessing the potential of technology and innovation, but is light on how the NHS will successfully adopt innovative health technologies to deliver better patient outcomes – something that may be clarified further when the Government responds to the Accelerated Access Review.
For 2017/18 and 2018/19, the NHS will take the following steps:
- Begin the roll-out of new treatments funded by NHS England’s specialised commissioning, including mechanical thrombectomy treatment for stroke;
- Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) and ‘test beds’ will take collective responsibility for driving national adoption of proven innovations, in line with the Accelerated Access Review;
- Enhance the Health research Authority to create ‘a more fertile environment for clinical trials’ through the harmonisation of approval and recruitment processes;
- Recruit an additional 1800-2000 GP practices to the Clinical Research Practice Data Link system (CPRD).
The plan also mentions the developments that have taken place over the past year, including:
- the decision to commission nationally 33 ground-breaking new treatments; and
- the new Innovation and Technology Tariff from April 2017.