UK

On April 4, 2025, NHS England published the final NHS Payment Scheme (NHSPS) for the 2025/26 financial year (starting on April 1st), defining payment mechanisms for the provision of NHS-funded hospital and ambulatory care and some public health services. No significant changes were made to the general payment model. The key changes include the introduction of reimbursement for activities from Community Diagnostic Centres and a new Best Practice Tariff to incentivize shifting suitable procedures from day case/hospital to outpatient settings.

In March 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) in England released four Med Tech-related assessments in its HTA Journal, which concerned the results of the studies provided within the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS). HTA Journal publishes research reports on the effectiveness, costs, and broader impact of health technologies for those who use, manage, and provide care in the NHS and informs NICE guidance.

On March 19, 2025, the NHS Innovation Accelerator (NIA) announced 28 new innovators (“Fellows”) with healthcare solutions awarded to join the program in 2025. NIA provides intensive, tailored support to proven healthcare solutions, helping to accelerate their adoption and maximize their impact across the NHS. Awarded innovations concern e-Health, in-vitro diagnostic, gynecology, neuromodulation, and sustainability.

In March 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published one new Interventional Procedures Guidance on alcohol-mediated perivascular renal sympathetic denervation for resistant hypertension.

On March 6, 2025, NHS England released an annual update of the HRG4+ Local Payment Grouper for 2025/26, to come into effect on April 1, 2025. No new HRGs were added; the total number of HRGs has not changed (2,900).

In January-February 2025, Health Technology Wales (HTW) accomplished one full appraisal of catheter-locking solutions to prevent catheter-related complications. No Med Tech-related Topic Exploration Reports were published.

On March 13, 2025, a major organizational reform was announced by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). It is planned to abolish the NHS England and reintegrate its functions into the DHSC. The initiative aims to reduce bureaucracy, eliminate duplication between the two bodies, improve efficiency, and cut costs. The transition is expected to be completed within the next two years.

In February 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published one new Interventional Procedures Guidance on intravascular lithotripsy during percutaneous coronary intervention. Furthermore, one clinical guideline was updated.

In February 2025, SBRI Healthcare, funded by the NHS Accelerated Access Collaborative, announced the results of three competitions. Funding of £1.3m was allocated for the development of 14 innovations that support women’s health, £1m for the development of 11 innovations that improve infection prevention and control to mitigate the spread of antimicrobial resistance, and £3 million to support four innovations that improve the health and well-being of children and young people who have asthma, epilepsy, or diabetes.

In January 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) in England released two Med Tech-related assessments in its HTA Journal, which concerned a clinical decision support tool for lower urinary tract symptom in men and multi-cancer early detection tests for general population screening. HTA Journal publishes research reports on the effectiveness, costs, and broader impact of health technologies for those who use, manage, and provide care in the NHS and informs NICE guidance.

On February 7, 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published a manual for a new HealthTech program and launched a consultation. The HealthTech program will produce two types of guidance: Interventional Procedures guidance and HealthTech guidance (replacing former Medical Technologies guidance and Diagnostics guidance). The deadline for comments submission is March 6, 2025.

In January 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published two new Interventional Procedures Guidance (Transperineal laser ablation for lower urinary tract symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, electrically stimulated intravesical therapy for interstitial cystitis or overactive bladder) and one new Early Value Assessment (Artificial intelligence technologies to help detect fractures on X-rays in urgent care). Furthermore, one new clinical guideline was published, and one was updated.