First med tech/app innovations chosen for new NHS payment scheme

On 2nd November 2016, NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens has announced that medtech devices and apps will be included under NHS national payment rules helping to accelerate uptake of cutting-edge technologies. The new announcement is a part of commitment to create a new Innovation and Technology Tariff that was announced by Mr Simon in June 2016.

Following Clinical review, NHS England has selected the first six innovations as part of a new Innovation and Technology Tariff, benefiting men having urological surgery, Patients with chronic lung problems, women giving birth and acutely ill inpatients. NHS England is also backing new mobile technology for diagnosing heart problems.

The new tariff will help to cut the difficulty experienced by innovators and clinicians in getting uptake and spread across the NHS. It will remove the requirement for multiple local price negotiations by guaranteeing automatic repayment when an approved innovation is used. The new innovation and technology tariff will also allow the NHS to negotiate national 'bulk buy' price discounts on behalf of GPs, hospitals and patients.

Simon Stevens said the NHS has a satisfied track record of world firsts in medical innovation like hip replacements, IVF and organ transplants are just a few names but getting wide uptake has often been far too slow and frustrating. The new payment system of NHS brings clarity on fast track funding to get ground breaking new treatments and technologies to NHS patients.

The first chosen innovation categories that will join the national NHS payment scheme are:

• Web based applications for self-management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Guided mediolateral episiotomy scissors to reduce the chance of obstetric injury
• Arterial connecting systems to minimise bacterial infection and the accidental administration of medication into arteries
• Prostatic urethral lift systems to treat lower urinary tract symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia
• Frozen microbiota transplantation for treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection rates
• Pneumonia prevention systems that are designed to stop patients on ventilators developing ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Commenting on the move, chief executive of the Association of British Healthcare Industries, Peter Ellingworth said the new approach will help to ensure a strong, accessible and effective scheme that provides timely patient access to a wide range of medical technologies.

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