NHS England Announces Fast Track Funding for NHS Patients to Receive Innovations Faster
NHS England's Chief Executive, Simon Stevens, has announced a new programme to create a fast track for innovative medical devices so that patients can get access to innovations faster.
The Facts
Mr Stevens said the NHS will provide a national reimbursement route for new Med-Tech innovations, for the first time. The aim is to accelerate the uptake of new Med-Tech devices and apps for patients with diabetes, heart conditions, asthma, sleep disorders and other chronic conditions, as well as weight management and mental health disorders.
A new innovation and technology tariff will remove the need for multiple local price negotiations, instead guaranteeing automatic reimbursement when an approved innovation is used. The new route will also allow the NHS to negotiate national bulk buying discounts for the NHS.
Mr Stevens is looking to see more innovations benefit from the NHS Innovation Accelerator Programme, whereby tried-and-tested innovations are spread further and faster across the NHS. In addition, there are the NHS Test Beds Programme and NHS England Commissioning through Evaluation Programme, which should also provide a quick route to market for worthwhile innovations.
Mr Stevens said: 'The NHS has a proud track record of world firsts in medical innovation - think hip replacements, IVF, vaccinations and organ transplants to name just a few - but then getting wide uptake has often been slow and frustrating. Now - at a time when the NHS is under pressure - rather than just running harder to stand still. It's time to grab with both hands these practical new treatments and technologies.'
Comment
As the NHS struggles with increased costs and demands from an ageing population, it wants to achieve more for less and deliver better health outcomes. Technology and efficiency is the only way it is going to realistically attain this goal. People in the sector tell us they find selling to the NHS complex and confusing,therefore anything like this that can be done to improve the position is to be welcomed.