A new medical technology (medtech) strategy from the UK Government aims to give patients access to safe, effective, and innovative equipment and medical devices.

The blueprint for boosting NHS medtech will focus on accelerating access to innovative technologies, such as the latest generation of home dialysis machines that enable patients to manage their own health at home and in their day-to-day lives.

It also sets out steps which need to be taken to ensure patients can access safe, effective and innovative technology through the NHS, which can help diagnose, treat, and deliver care more quickly, freeing up clinician time.

£10 billion a year is spent on medtech by the NHS, including syringes, wheelchairs, cardiac pacemakers and medical imaging equipment like x-ray machines.

Building on learnings from the Covid-19 pandemic and the rapid development of medical technologies like lateral flow tests and ventilators, the strategy aims to ensure the right product is available at the right price and in the right place.

As a result, patients should continue to have access to high-quality care, alongside improved patient safety and health outcomes.

Patient care and safety has been a major concern of thousands of striking healthcare workers who cite their working conditions – long hours with staff shortages – putting patients in danger.

Using medtech effectively, the government said, will be critical in reducing waiting lists for treatments caused by the pandemic as well as other strains on the NHS, as it has the potential to speed up diagnosis and deliver new and improved ways to treat and support patients.

Further, the strategy aims to deliver value for money, using the latest data on the effectiveness of new technology to ensure prices are reasonable for the health system.

Another focus is buliding resilient supply chains and ensuring the UK is prepared for future pandemics, just as demand for technology like syringes and ventilators rapidly increase during the pandemic.

“Medical technology has an enormous role to play in benefitting patients now and in the future,” Dr. Timothy Ferris, national director for transformation at NHS England said.

“The importance of medtech was made clear during the Covid-19 pandemic and as the NHS moves through its recovery, it will play a key role in addressing the challenges we face.”

One of the key aims of the strategy is boosting the supply of the best equipment to deliver greater resilience to health care challenges, such as pandemics, and enhance NHS performance through modernised technology which will enable faster diagnosis treatment and ultimately discharge to free up hospital beds.

The government has already dedicated £250m to the NHS to speed up hospital discharges. Research has shown that around one in four of discharge delays are due to patients waiting for a social care package, and delayed discharges were up by a third from pre-pandemic levels.

Delayed discharges taking up hospital beds has been one of the main pressures mounting on the NHS.

Another key aim is to encourage ambitious innovative research to secure the UK’s position as a global science superpower and attract vital investment fro the UK economy and create jobs across the country.

In 2021, there were already around 60 different research programmes supporting innovative technologies, representing over £1 billion of funding.

Dr Sam Roberts of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence said: “It is essential that clinicians and patients can access the most impactful and cost-effective medical technologies, while MedTech companies need to be confident that they are developing products which meet the needs of patients and the NHS.”

Training to increase clinicians’ understanding and awareness of medtech is also a priority to lead to more informed purchasing on new products and deliver better value for taxpayer money and better services for patients.

Building on the Life Sciences Vision is another aim, to improve collaboration between the NHS, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency as an innovation partner to ensure patients can access the right products safely.

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Peter Ellingworth of the Association of British HealthTech Industries said, “It is important that this strategy supports the ambition of the Life Sciences Vision to create an outstanding business environment for HealthTech companies. We look forward to working closely with the Directorate in the implementation the strategy.”

The implementation plan to deliver this strategy will be published later this year and include a review of the £1bn spent on appliances in primary care, new comparison tools to enable better decision making when purchasing, and collaboration with industry to ensure availability of key products to keep patients safe.

Minister of State for Health Will Quince said: “The UK’s innovative spirit delivered revolutionary technology during the pandemic – from Covid tests and ventilators – and we want to harness this in promoting cutting-edge medical advancements to improve patient care.

“The NHS spends around £10 billion a year on medical technology and I’m looking forward to working with industry to use this as we focus on reducing hospital stays, enhancing diagnosis, preventing illness and freeing up staff time.

“This new medtech strategy will help build a sustainable NHS with patients at the centre so people can continue to access the right care at the right time.”

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