The Government claims that patients will get access to the most advanced and groundbreaking treatments quicker, by "slashing red tape" to get new innovative products and ideas to the frontline.
The government has unveiled updates to the Intellectual property (IP) guidance for the NHS in England - the first such update in 23 years - to boost innovation, speed up patient access to new technologies and unlock economic growth.
It says that the NHS is still relying on guidance set up in 2002, which was not designed for cutting edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). This means outdated processes have slowed down getting groundbreaking innovations to the front line, often being held up in complex local and legal negotiations.
The Government says that opportunities have been lost as a result, pushing the UK behind other health systems in translating NHS innovation into commercial success. In one case, a major collaboration between an NHS-affiliated researcher and a tech company - which had attracted significant interest and potential investment - was derailed after nearly 2 years of legal negotiations. In another, a company providing speech and language therapy support to 200 schools faced ongoing uncertainty for almost 2 years due to the absence of clear IP policies, hampering growth and delaying benefits to children.
The new guidance aims to address these challenges by streamlining processes, defining clearer roles and responsibilities, promoting consistent good practices in IP management across the NHS, and making it simpler for ideas to move from concept to commercialisation, so that innovation can reach patients faster and drive growth for the NHS and our economy.
Health Innovation and Safety Minister, Dr Zubir Ahmed MP, said: "For too long, innovators have faced unnecessary barriers when trying to bring life-changing ideas to patients through the NHS. This updated guidance removes the red tape and provides the clarity needed to accelerate innovation across our health service.
"By getting the fundamentals right, we can drive transformation, commercialise ideas both domestically and internationally, and strengthen the UK’s position as a global leader in health and life sciences research and innovation. Most importantly, it will ensure that the benefits of innovation - from improved patient care and more efficient services to fair commercial returns - flow directly back to patients, staff and the NHS, strengthening its role."
Fiona Bride, Director of Medicines Value and Access at NHS England, said: "We are pleased to have worked closely with government on this refreshed IP guidance, which brings much-needed clarity and consistency to how innovation is supported across the health service, and will help to get new treatments and technologies to patients faster. The NHS has an exceptional record in bringing forward the latest innovations to patients, and this guidance will strengthen this further, giving clinicians, researchers and partners the confidence to progress ideas that improve care, and help to deliver the ambitions of the 10-Year Plan."
Andrew Davies, Executive Director, Digital Health (Association of British HealthTech Industries), added: "Clear IP guidance is essential to unlock safe, scalable innovation in the NHS. With the right framework, industry can invest with confidence, co-develop solutions more effectively and bring cutting-edge technologies to patients, while strengthening the UK’s position as a global leader in HealthTech. We welcome updated guidance that provides clarity and consistency on roles and expectations, and supports effective collaboration between industry and the NHS."
