England

In August 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) announced two new projects within its Health Technology Assessment Innovation Laboratory (HTA Lab). The projects explore generative AI technologies in economic modelling and how AI can support and enhance NICE’s HTA processes through automation, predictive modeling, and reasoning systems.

On August 7, 2025, the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) launched a public consultation on its proposed recommendation to continue the in-service evaluation of newborn screening for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) in real-world NHS settings. Stakeholders are invited to submit comments by October 27, 2025.

In July 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) in England released seven Med Tech-related assessments in its HTA Journal, which concerned nephrology and urology, pulmonology, gynecology, in-vitro diagnostics and e-Health fields.

In July 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published one new Interventional Procedures Guidance on pulsed-field ablation in atrial fibrillation, one new Early Value Assessment on digital technologies in anxiety and depression, and two new Late Stage Assessments (One-piece closed bags for colostomies, intermittent urethral catheters for chronic incomplete bladder emptying).

On July 16, 2025, the UK Government published the Life Sciences Sector Plan, which outlines targeted actions to support world-class research and development, attract investment, and accelerate health innovation and NHS reform. The key actions to ensure faster access to clinically and cost-effective technologies include implementing the Rules-Based Pathway for MedTech, “Innovator Passport”, national standard guidance on value-based procurement for MedTech, and “HealthStore” (coverage of approved health apps for patients).

On July 9, 2025, the NHS Cancer Programme granted £14.4 million to seven projects through the third Innovation Open Call. The projects aimed to fast-track the implementation of proven, late-stage innovations for the early detection and diagnosis of cancer.

On July 14, 2025, NICE published a HealthTech program manual. A new program will combine the former Medical Technologies Evaluation and Diagnostic Assessment programs and the Interventional Procedures program. The HealthTech program will produce two types of guidance: HealthTech guidance for devices, diagnostics, and digital products, and Interventional Procedures guidance. A life-cycle approach will be utilized for assessment and recommendations: early use, routine use, and existing use (late stage assessment).

On July 3, 2025, the UK Government published the 10 Year Health Plan for England as part of its mission to build a health service fit for the future. It sets out how the government will reinvent the NHS through three radical shifts - hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. This transition will be supported by a new NHS operating model, improved transparency of care quality, a redesigned workforce model, innovation to power transformation, and a new financial foundation. Five transformative technologies will drive reform: data, AI, genomics, wearables, and robotics. Other MedTech-related initiatives include expanding NICE's technology appraisals to devices, diagnostics, and digital products and implementing the 'Innovator passport'.

On June 30, 2025, NHS England released a draft summary of core changes between OPCS-4.10 and OPCS-4.11, a procedure coding classification updated every three years. Multiple changes are proposed, including 64 new three-character (category) codes and 568 new four-character (subcategory) codes. The final summary is scheduled for publication on November 1, 2025, with OPCS-4.11 set to take effect on April 1, 2026.

In June 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published three new Interventional Procedures Guidance (TAVI in native aortic valve regurgitation, targeted muscle reinnervation for limb amputation pain, laparoscopic insertion of inactive implant for GERD). Furthermore, three clinical guidelines were updated.

On June 17, 2025, the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) opened a public consultation on the updated evidence review regarding population screening for dementia in adults. The 2025 review concludes that there is still insufficient evidence to support the introduction of a national screening programme. Stakeholders are invited to submit comments by September 9, 2025.

On June 6, 2025, NHS England published an updated work plan for the development of Clinical Commissioning Policies for specialised services. Two new MedTech-related policies concerning interventional radiology were added to the work program, and none have been published since the previous update. The status of ongoing policies has also been updated.