NHS regional plans not valuing medical tech

A new report from the Medical Technology Group warns that the NHS is in danger of missing an opportunity to harness the power of technology.

STPs and the use of technology finds that nine out of ten regional NHS plans fail to pay enough attention to the role of medical technology, with only four of the 44 regional NHS plans including any meaningful reference to the use of innovative technology, despite NHS England making it a requirement in its guidelines.

Although technology is widely recognised by NHS England as a priority in the creation of new regional systems, the vast majority of the regional organisations set up to implement the NHS’s Five Year Forward View lack strategic planning around the use of devices and technology, with the Medical Technology Group claiming that very few STPs made any reference to the need to use innovative medical technology.

The MTG report also raises concerns about the focus placed on the Carter Review in the regional plans, warning that, alongside the lack of clear plans for the use of innovative medical technology, if an ‘overly aggressive focus on unit cost’ is the key decision factor when deciding which technology to use, NHS organisations could miss out on the potential savings on offer.

Barbara Harpham, chair of the Medical Technology Group, said: “While the focus on the greater use of digital technology to improve services for patients is encouraging, all bar a tiny handful of regional NHS plans have failed to address the need for innovation and technology to improve patient outcomes.
 
“Attempting to retrofit technology to pathway and systems will not work. Regional NHS organisations must seize the unique opportunity to re-evaluate the use of technology and take full advantage of its possibilities. Until now, NHS budgets fail to encourage investment in one part of the system if it leads to savings in another. For example, advanced therapies in an operating theatre can lead to savings in the number of bed stays as patient recovery times are shorter. Sadly, the majority of regional plans are at risk of missing out on the chance of a lifetime to tackle these perverse incentives.”