Institution responds to Accelerated Access Review

The Institution's Dr Helen Meese welcomes some of the findings of the report, but says that in order for the NHS to truly get the best out of these and future investments it makes into cutting-edge technology and treatments, engineers need to be more involved in the design, trialling, procurement, use and maintenance of high value equipment.

Dr Helen Meese, Head of Healthcare at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said in response to the final Accelerated Access Review report:

“This report makes welcome recommendations to enable NHS patients get quicker access to innovative new diagnostic tools, treatments, and medical technologies.

“The proposed funding of £20m-£30m over five years for medical technology SMEs, to support commercialisation of their technologies, will go some way to underpinning the UK’s vibrant med tech market.

“The Institution is also pleased to see further support being given to the already established Academic Health Science Networks which have already made a significant contribution to enabling patient’s access to new technologies.

“However in order for the NHS to truly get the best out of these and future investments it makes into cutting-edge technology and treatments, engineers need to be more involved in the design, trialling, procurement, use and maintenance of such high value equipment. It is only with engineers working alongside clinicians and nursing staff that properly informed choices on these issues can be made in the best interests of patients and taxpayers.

“There continues to be huge advances in healthcare technology, but getting the most out of this technology is dependent on the work of biomedical engineers who are inadequately recognised and in short supply across the med tech market and in most hospitals.

“To ensure the Accelerated Access Review is successfully implemented the Institution of Mechanical Engineers is calling for a Chief Biomedical Engineer to be introduced into each NHS Trust, in a move that could save the NHS up to £700m a year.”