The Secretary of State has received no representations on these matters from the Medical Technologies Directorate or the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

With regards to import tariffs specifically, the Government implemented temporary tariff suspensions on a set of goods in 2021, including urine drainage bags, to support the healthcare response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government has extended the majority of these suspensions until 31 December 2023.

Departmental officials are aware of plans to remove temporary tariff suspensions and are considering information provided by industry alongside wider United Kingdom government analysis.

The Directorate aims to ensure that the health and care system has a resilient supply chain for safe and high quality products, provides value for money, embeds sustainability, has access to and adoption of innovative products and a managed transition for medical technology issues following the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union and the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Directorate has engaged with industry on the Medtech strategy, which is due to be published shortly and is establishing a governing board to oversee the strategy’s implementation. Further information on the implementation of the strategy will be available early in the new year.

The Medical Technologies (MedTech) Directorate aligns with the Life Sciences Vision to supports the simplification of governance and oversight processes. The Directorate’s recently established data and analysis team will work with health and social care partners to strengthen the collection and use of evidence, improve national data standards and promote better integration of datasets in the MedTech Sector. More detail on the improvement of data governance will be published in the MedTech Strategy in summer 2022.

In addition, the newly created NHS Transformation Directorate is leading on data collection and management needs to fulfil the Life Sciences Vision. The MedTech Directorate will work with the NHS Transformation Directorate to support its aim of integrating National Health Service health and genomic datasets in the United Kingdom, to encourage innovation and clinical trials with diverse representation.

The Medical Technologies (MedTech) Directorate supports the growth of investment in life sciences. Following the 2021 Spending Review, the Government has confirmed specific funds will be provided to directly support the delivery of the Life Sciences Vision.

The MedTech Directorate supports research with its stakeholders including regulators, the National Health Service, the Office for Life Sciences, the Health Research Authority and the National Institute for Health and Care Research, to promote evaluation and enhance patient outcomes. The MedTech Strategy intends to create an environment which attracts and supports investment and the Directorate will work with other Government departments to promote increased expenditure.

The Medical Technologies Directorate is developing its strategy to be published in summer 2022, which will support the Life Sciences Vision. The Directorate has undertaken engagement with industry partners to identify the key priorities for the MedTech Strategy. This will include supporting an innovative and dynamic MedTech market to ensure that new products reach the National Health Service quickly through streamlined pathways. The forthcoming strategy will provide further details on this priority.

The forthcoming MedTech strategy will focus on product evaluation, demand signalling and work to improve pathways to market to improve collaboration between industry and the National Health Service, supporting this precondition to success. Details on its implementation will follow in due course.

The Directorate is supporting NHSX to transform access to and integration of National Health Service health and genomic datasets for data-driven innovation and inclusive clinical trials, ensuring public confidence in data access for research and innovation purposes.

The Directorate’s MedTech strategy will detail steps to improve the data infrastructure and collection of evidence. Working with others in the health system we aim to enhance transparent, comparable data to build a trusted data picture of medical technology. This will enable further insights into Medical Technology and enable a greater understanding across usage, purchase, asset management, safety and innovation. Developing this data will inform delivery of operational and strategic objectives across the system. In addition, the Directorate is working to deliver the Medical Device Information System to enhance high quality health data and patient safety

The Medical Technology Directorate is supporting the Life Sciences Vision by enhancing market arrangements on innovation and evidence; working with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on the United Kingdom’s medical device regulations to ensure patient safety and influence international standards; enhancing data across the health system; and improving the resilience of the supply chain.

To attract investment, the MedTech strategy will outline plans to align clinical and commercial leadership to reduce complexities in channels for procurement and budgets. We have announced £5 billion to increase health-related research and invest in innovation. The Office for Life Sciences will set out plans to develop a globally competitive investment environment in the UK, where promising life science companies, including medical technology businesses, can access long-term capital.

The Medical Technology Directorate is supporting the Life Sciences Vision by enhancing market arrangements on innovation and evidence; working with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on the United Kingdom’s medical device regulations to ensure patient safety and influence international standards; enhancing data across the health system; and improving the resilience of the supply chain.

To attract investment, the MedTech strategy will outline plans to align clinical and commercial leadership to reduce complexities in channels for procurement and budgets. We have announced £5 billion to increase health-related research and invest in innovation. The Office for Life Sciences will set out plans to develop a globally competitive investment environment in the UK, where promising life science companies, including medical technology businesses, can access long-term capital.

The MedTech strategy is planned for publication in the first half of 2022. It will consider regulation, resilience, sustainability and innovation to ensure safety, clinical efficacy and value for money. It aims to ensure resilience in supply chains, enhance innovation, build infrastructure including data and collaboration with industry.

The MedTech Directorate has engaged stakeholders in public bodies and with industry on the strategy’s objectives and priorities. The strategy does not meet the formal requirement to undertake a public consultation. Engagement has focused on those stakeholders most impacted by the strategy in industry and the healthcare system. Once the strategy is drafted, we will seek their feedback and endorsement including through the NHS Medical Advisory Group. This is formed of clinicians, nurses, public bodies and industry via trade associations, manufacturers and suppliers of relevant medical devices.

The MedTech strategy is planned for publication in the first half of 2022. It will consider regulation, resilience, sustainability and innovation to ensure safety, clinical efficacy and value for money. It aims to ensure resilience in supply chains, enhance innovation, build infrastructure including data and collaboration with industry.

The MedTech Directorate has engaged stakeholders in public bodies and with industry on the strategy’s objectives and priorities. The strategy does not meet the formal requirement to undertake a public consultation. Engagement has focused on those stakeholders most impacted by the strategy in industry and the healthcare system. Once the strategy is drafted, we will seek their feedback and endorsement including through the NHS Medical Advisory Group. This is formed of clinicians, nurses, public bodies and industry via trade associations, manufacturers and suppliers of relevant medical devices.

The MedTech strategy is planned for publication in the first half of 2022. It will consider regulation, resilience, sustainability and innovation to ensure safety, clinical efficacy and value for money. It aims to ensure resilience in supply chains, enhance innovation, build infrastructure including data and collaboration with industry.

The MedTech Directorate has engaged stakeholders in public bodies and with industry on the strategy’s objectives and priorities. The strategy does not meet the formal requirement to undertake a public consultation. Engagement has focused on those stakeholders most impacted by the strategy in industry and the healthcare system. Once the strategy is drafted, we will seek their feedback and endorsement including through the NHS Medical Advisory Group. This is formed of clinicians, nurses, public bodies and industry via trade associations, manufacturers and suppliers of relevant medical devices.

The MedTech strategy will set out objectives and metrics for the Directorate and we are committed to publishing this in early 2022. We expect metrics to focus on supply resilience, innovation, and value for money.

The Department recruitment process earlier this year did not produce successful candidates. We have revised the role profile to attract a wider range of candidates and we plan to readvertise in due course.

Accountability is ensured through the Directorate’s current leadership. The Directorate is led by Chris Stirling as Interim Director and Matthew Styles as Director General for NHS Policy and Performance.

The Medical Technology Directorate is currently working on a strategy, due for publication next year. The strategy will support the United Kingdom MedTech sector and ensure the health and social care system can reliably access safe, effective and innovative medical technologies that support the continued delivery of high-quality care and excellent patient outcomes and represents value for money. When published, the strategy will set out the longer term aims and metrics and the vision for implementation, including the resources required for successful delivery. As part of the strategy’s development, the Directorate are engaging with key stakeholders, including industry and wider Government teams. The strategy will align with and be complementary to the Life Sciences Vision.

The Medical Technologies Directorate was announced in May 2021. Staff are being recruited to the Directorate and will work in the following areas: supply resilience and engagement; strategy; policy and regulation; operations; and data and analysis. Information on the senior team will be made available once permanent staff have been recruited. The Directorate is currently led by Chris Stirling as Interim Director.

The primary costs of the Directorate will be approximately £1.8 million per annum for its staff.

The Medical Technologies Directorate was announced in May 2021. Staff are being recruited to the Directorate and will work in the following areas: supply resilience and engagement; strategy; policy and regulation; operations; and data and analysis. Information on the senior team will be made available once permanent staff have been recruited. The Directorate is currently led by Chris Stirling as Interim Director.

The primary costs of the Directorate will be approximately £1.8 million per annum for its staff.

The Medical Technologies Directorate within the Department was announced in May 2021. The Directorate’s role is to build a thriving sector in the United Kingdom and ensure the health and social care system can reliably access safe, effective, innovative and medical technologies for the delivery of high quality care and excellent patient outcomes. It is also responsible for overseeing the regulation of medical devices and supports regulatory practices which allow the adoption of new technology at speed and scale.

The new Medical Technologies Directorate within the Department was announced in May 2021. The Directorate is currently at a formative stage and recruitment to roles is about to commence. Although timelines are being finalised, we expect to publish a strategy including details of the remit, priorities, leadership, budget and accountabilities in early 2022. Success criteria will be determined once the Directorate budget has been finalised and the strategy has been finalised through engagement with industry and others.

The new Medical Technologies Directorate within the Department was announced in May 2021. The Directorate is currently at a formative stage and recruitment to roles is about to commence. Although timelines are being finalised, we expect to publish a strategy including details of the remit, priorities, leadership, budget and accountabilities in early 2022. Success criteria will be determined once the Directorate budget has been finalised and the strategy has been finalised through engagement with industry and others.