NICE has announced proposals to transform its HealthTech programme to drive more technology into the NHS. The changes aim to transform how medical devices, diagnostics and digital and AI health technologies are evaluated. The plans enable more products to be evaluated and removes the requirement for medical devices to be cost-saving for them to be recommended for use in the NHS. The move is part of a series of proposals to set up NICE’s HealthTech programme for the next decade and beyond as the health service moves from ‘analogue to digital’.
Mark Chapman, director of HealthTech at NICE, said: “Our proposed new approach, including a multi-tech cost-effectiveness approach and revised assessment methods, will create opportunities for innovative solutions that previously might not have reached our independent committees for consideration because they weren’t cost saving. We're committed to ensuring NICE’s world leading position in making the very best clinically and cost-effective HealthTech available to our NHS."
Key changes include:
A consultation has started on the proposed changes and comments can be submitted until Thursday, 6 March.