The British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) has unveiled its vision for the future of the medtech and life sciences sector in a new manifesto launched this week in Parliament. 

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BHTA

The manifesto notes that a collaborative approach between industry and government can be delivered to unlock capacity in the NHS, hasten hospital discharge, and allow products to reach patients quickly and easily.

The manifesto was launched on Tuesday, attended by a range of medical suppliers and addressed by key NHS Supply Chain representatives, health minister Lord Markham and shadow health minister Preet Gill MP.

The manifesto calls on the Government to utilise the experience, skills, and expertise of medical equipment providers to shape the structure and regulatory framework of the health and social care system. It identifies “untapped” potential for innovation that could be liberated by reforming procurement processes and renewing focus on value-based procurement principles.

Medical suppliers continue to face financial and regulatory pressures, including navigating the transition to a post-Brexit regulatory landscape. This means the right frameworks must be in place for the continued supply of medical products to patients and to foster innovation and procurement value in the NHS.

The BHTA’s manifesto captures the industry’s call for greater inclusion in this process, providing the template for a collaborative approach.

David Stockdale, chief executive of the British Healthcare Trades Association, said: “The launch of this manifesto comes at critical time for the healthtech industry. Medical suppliers have never faced such acute financial and regulatory pressures and the direction of travel the Government chooses now is vital to ensuring patients continue to access medical products they need and face no delays to accessing new products and treatments in future.

“There is also a huge amount of untapped potential for our sector to be utilised to tackle pressures in the health system, waiting times and delayed hospital discharge, enabling patients to access and receive high quality care in community settings and at home.

“Fundamentally, we are asking for the Government to draw on industry knowledge and expertise and to collaborate with industry to shape a future healthcare landscape that delivers high quality for patients, fosters innovation, and provides certainty for businesses.”

Mark Eastwood, Conservative MP for Dewsbury, added: “Medtech and healthcare suppliers are the unsung heroes of our health system and the bedrock of patient delivery. It has been a pleasure to host such a meaningful event to showcase the British businesses that constitute the very heart of our NHS. Collaborative design must be our approach in building our future health and social care landscape, and I commend the BHTA for providing a template to achieving this.”