On 5th December 2011 the Government outlined a new boost to the UK life science industry when it launched both its Life Sciences Strategy and a review of innovation in the NHS from NHS Chief Executive Sir David Nicholson. The headlines on the day were:
- Three million at-risk patients to receive hi-tech equipment in the home.
- New £180 million 'valley of death' fund for new medical breakthroughs.
- Cutting NHS red tape to give patients faster access to drugs
- Government to consult on proposals on a new 'early access scheme' to put new drugs and technologies in NHS hospitals more quickly than ever before, particularly in areas where new treatments are urgently needed, such as brain and lung cancer.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, said: "This shows our ambition to create a world-class NHS that makes the latest and best treatments available to patients"."Improving health outcomes for patients is vital and we are committed to giving NHS staff the tools so they can provide innovative, high quality care for their patients."
The NHS Chief Executive, Sir David Nicholson, said: "The NHS has a long and proud track record of innovation that has driven major improvements in patient care. It is full of talented people with creative ideas but it often takes too long to implement these ideas in the NHS. The challenges the NHS faces to improve quality and productivity in the coming years means spreading best practice fast is not an optional extra, it is an operational necessity".
"It represents a call to action for everyone in the NHS to make innovation a central priority"
The Innovation Report, Innovation, Health & Wealth: Accelerating Adoption & Diffusion in the NHS, recognised that the UK is particularly slow, relative to other developed economies, in adopting innovative medical technologies. The spread of inventions within the NHS has often been too slow and sometimes even the best of them fail to achieve widespread use.
The important measures included in the report, which the MTG support, include:
The introduction of a NICE Compliance Regime to reduce variation and assure patients of their access to clinically, cost-effective technologies their doctors believe they need. The report recognises that there is considerable variation in compliance with NICE recommendations; the MTG have long been calling for better compliance – as evidenced by the MTG "pump action" campaign to highlight lack of adherence to NICE recommendations on the provision of insulin pumps.
The establishment of a NICE Implementation Collaborative (NIC) to support prompt implementation of NICE guidance. The MTG look forward to scrutinising the Concordat that will govern its operation to see exactly what role NIC will play.
The development and publication of an Innovation Scorecard; the MTG welcome the publication of levels of compliance with NICE Technology Appraisals at a local level. The MTG has always campaigned for more and better information for patients about the availability of technologies, to enable shared decision making and genuine choice.
The development of a single high quality web portal for innovation in the NHS; the MTG are pleased to note that the portal will be available to the public; it is essential that patients have access to information about innovative technologies.
The review recognises that silo budgeting that can often be a barrier to the adoption and spread of innovation: the MTG welcome proposals for top-down incentives to encourage innovation rather than short-term cost cutting, but these initiatives, such as work on best practice tarrifs must be followed through.
The establishment of a new Specialised Services Commissioning Innovation Fund; this is to be welcomed if it enables suitable patients to have early access to innovative technologies.
Both the NHS Commissioning Board and the new Clinical Commissioning Groups will be under a legal duty to seek out and adopt best practice and promote innovation. The MTG welcomes this duty but it is widely drafted and must be enforced.
On the publication of the report, Barbara Harpham, Chair of the Medical Technology Group said:
"At last, here is a report that formally recognises that the uptake of medical technology in the UK has not always been as fast or as widespread as it should be. For a long time now we have been calling for better access to tried and tested medical technologies for everyone who needs them. Medical technology can help people return to work, regain their independence and can improve the quality of their everyday life. Timely intervention may also prevent conditions from becoming chronic. We hope this review will herald the start of a new, more dynamic relationship between the NHS and medical technology. The NHS must embrace medical technology and take it up not only earlier, but more consistently.
This report merits careful consideration, but the MTG welcomes the proposals to reduce the variation in take-up of medical technologies recommended by NICE in its Technology Appraisals. Driving up compliance to ensure technologies are adopted without delay is essential for patients. The MTG also welcomes the proposals to give patients and NHS staff better and more easily accessible information about innovations and technologies. We are pleased to see that the new Clinical Commissioning Groups will be under a duty to seek out and adopt best practice and promote innovation.
The NHS must continue to strive to make better use of innovation if it is to make cost savings whilst improving patient care, and coping with an ageing population. There needs to be a new attitude when it comes to making decisions about the commissioning of medical technologies. A lack of innovation and innovative thinking may have let some patients down; we hope this review will be the first step in ensuring the rapid and consistent delivery of appropriate medical technologies to patients".
The recommendations in the report now need to be implemented. An implementation board is to be established to oversee delivery. The MTG will be following the progress closely.
ENDS
ABHI• AdvaMed • AMO • AntiCoagulation Europe • ARMA • Arrhythmia Alliance • Arthritis Care • Atrial Fibrillation Association • BD • Bladder and Bowel Foundation • Boston Scientific • British Cardiac Patients Association • C R Bard • Cardiomyopathy Association • Convatec • Eucomed • FABLE• FEmISA • Heart Research UK • ICD Group • INPUT • International Alliance of Patients' Organizations • IST Information and Support • JDRF • Johnson & Johnson • Lindsay Leg Club • Medtronic • National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society • Patient Information Forum • Pelvic Pain Support Network • Roche Diagnostics • SADS UK • St Jude Medical • STARS • Stryker • The Circulation Foundation •The Patients Association • Transplant Support Network • Zimmer • Patient Information Forum •
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