UK Government announces new ‘Medical Technology Strategy’

On 3 February 2023, the Department for Health & Social Care (DHSC) published its strategy to support the UK MedTech sector to ensure health and care systems can quickly access safe, effective and innovative medical technologies.

The strategy acknowledges that using innovative medical technology to diagnose, treat and support patients will be key to clearing patient waiting lists – unlocking more clinician time, freeing-up hospital beds and generally reducing pressure on the NHS. The strategy proclaims to build on the Life Sciences Vision to promote the UK as a “global science superpower”.

Having considered the broader health and social care landscape, the DHSC sets out 3 central objectives: (1) right product; (2) right place; and (3) right price. Medical technologies should be safe, clinically effective, innovative and sustainable. The health and care system should be accessible and resilient. Value for money and affordability should be central across the whole patient pathway, with data being used to ensure that prices are reasonable and sustainable.

In order to deliver these objectives, the DHSC has identified four priority areas to focus its efforts on:

1. Resilience and continuity of supply

MedTech supply chains are vulnerable to disruption to global trading agreements, actions of nation states and pandemics, as such, there is a clear need to proactively address supply chain resilience and pre-emptively plan for and mitigate risks. The DHSC has said that it will seek collaboration with industry and research partners to facilitate a shift to increased resource efficiency. Notably, the DHSC has also identified a reduction in the reliance on (and use of) single use devices as a way to ensure a more resilient supply chain (and also furthers the UK government’s sustainability aims).

2. Innovative and dynamic markets

The DHSC has noted that, in an already crowded MedTech market, it can be difficult to ensure rapid adoption of new innovative technologies by the NHS. The DHSC has called for the creation of a “coherent, end to end environment that provides increased clarity, alignment and a reasonable apportionment of risk” to ensure that innovative MedTech may be adopted more easily and delivered to patients faster. This includes better understanding of what the health and care system actually needs and removing barriers to switching between products.

3. Enabling infrastructure

The DHSC intends to develop “key enablers” to facilitate the development and delivery of innovative medical technology. This includes clear systems, processes and data collections, similar to those seen for the regulation and delivery of medicines. It is noted by the DHSC that “unclear mechanisms for engagement” limits collaboration across the government, industry and the wider health and care system.

4. Specific market focuses

The DHSC has said it will look to identify specific issues that arise in relation to certain technologies in the MedTech market and provide additional guidance or assistance for these issues. Notably 2 areas the DHSC identified for increased focus are “medtech in the community” (e.g. wound care, incontinence appliances, stoma appliances and reagent strips for home testing) and diagnostics.
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