Well being secretary Wes Streeting has pledged that the brand new authorities will make Britain “a powerhouse for the life sciences and medical know-how”.
His feedback have been made on the Tony Blair Institute for International Change’s ‘Way forward for Britain’ convention, which occurred on-line on 9 July 2024.
Streeting advised journalist Jon Sopel: “If we will marry our well being and social care system with the unbelievable life sciences and MedTech ecosystem we’ve on this nation, we could be a powerhouse for the life sciences and MedTech revolution right here on this nation and on the planet”.
He added: “That is a few mutual relationship the place in the event you can marry the sharpest, brightest thoughts in UK life sciences and MedTech, with the only payer NHS mannequin that we’ve with the entire untapped potential that it gives, the sky’s the restrict when it comes to what this nation can ship for sufferers.
“Should you have a look at a few of Labour’s first steps in our manifesto, doubling the variety of CT and MRI scanners and never simply extra scanners, however AI-enabled scanners, these are large productiveness positive factors.
“These are large enhancements for affected person expertise when it comes to how many individuals we will get by and the way rapidly – they’re large enhancements within the high quality of diagnostics”.
Streeting additionally spoke about his dedication to ship “billions of kilos of financial development” by getting folks again to work and reduce ready lists by taking “daring motion on public well being”.
Responding to Streeting’s feedback, Peter Ellingworth, chief government of the British Affiliation of British HealthTech Industries, advised Digital Well being Information that “pressing steps are required” to have the ability to lead a revolution in MedTech and make sure the UK stays a beneficial vacation spot for the sector.
“We should speed up the supply of worldwide recognition for product approvals, guaranteeing the Regulator is appropriately resourced to do that alongside growing sovereign preparations that are synonymous with innovation and early entry.
“We should additionally be certain that the NHS is totally resourced to maximise the adoption and unfold of revolutionary applied sciences, each these which might be right here now however underutilised, and people which might be rising,” Ellingworth mentioned.
Streeting was named as well being secretary on 5 July, following the overall election on 4 July. In his first speech within the function, he declared that the NHS is “damaged”.
On 8 July, Karin Smyth, Labour MP for Bristol South, was named as minister for well being and Stephen Kinnock, Labour MP for Aberafan Maesteg, was named because the minister for care.
The appointments have been adopted on 10 July, with Baroness Gillian Merron as parliamentary under-secretary of state with duty for affected person security and life sciences, and Andrew Gwynne, Labour MP for Gorton and Denton, as parliamentary under-secretary of state with duty for public well being and prevention.
At an occasion hosted by the Medical Journalists’ Affiliation on 17 June 2024, Streeting criticised the “glacial tempo” of adoption of the federated information platform and mentioned that Labour would ship “a simpler tradition of innovation”.