The MedTech sector is rapidly evolving with many new products, but the current process for integrating these innovations into the NHS is often slow. To address this, NHS England and NICE have announced plans to enable a quicker adoption of innovative medical technologies in the NHS.
The proposal, developed with input from the Department of Health and Social Care, the Office for Life Science (OLS) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), aims to provide a new funding route for MedTech developers. Technologies that meet specific criteria and receive NICE recommendations will automatically qualify for NHS funding. Mark Chapman from NICE emphasised the importance of a clear path to quickly adopt promising technologies, ensuring they can benefit patients nationwide.
A 12-week consultation period is open for feedback from patients, clinicians, academics, and industry. This new pathway is expected to offer clarity to MedTech developers and align with the NHS Long Term Plan to accelerate the large-scale uptake of innovative medical devices and digital products.
Recent examples of MedTech introduced to the NHS include a laser fibre for benign prostatic hyperplasia (MTG74) and a device for automated red blood cell exchange for sickle cell anaemia (MTG28).
The consultation is open until midnight on Thursday, 15 August and feedback is welcome from industry professionals. For MedTech manufacturers, this represents a streamlined pathway that enables quicker access to NHS funding and market acceptance via NICE recommendations, ultimately giving them a competitive edge. To learn more about market access for digital health technologies, visit our website and connect with our experts at Remap. Together we can devise the most optimal strategy to enable access to your MedTech products.
Sources:
- NICE and NHS England Announce Plan to Enable Innovative Tech to Be Adopted Quicker [Press release]. Accessed 28 May, 2024. https://www.nice.org.uk/news/article/nice-and-nhs-england-announce-plan-to-enable-innovative-tech-to-be-adopted-quicker
- NICE. GreenLight XPS for Treating Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. NICE; 2022. Accessed May 28, 2024. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/mtg74/chapter/1-Recommendations
- NICE Guidance on Spectra Optia. Spectra Optia for automatic red blood cell exchange in people with sickle cell disease. NICE; 2016. Accessed 28 May, 2024. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/mtg28