England

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.

On January 30, 2025, NHS England published a proposed 2025/26 NHS Payment Scheme (NHSPS) and launched a consultation. The scheme will be set for one financial year (starting on April 1, 2025). No significant changes were made to the general payment model. The changes include the introduction of tariffs for activities from Community Diagnostic Centres and a new Best Practice Tariff to incentivize shifting suitable procedures from day case or elective settings to outpatient settings. The deadline for comments submission is February 28, 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.

On January 16, 2025, NHS England published an updated work plan for specialized clinical commissioning policies production. One Med Tech-related policy in the neuromodulation field was added to the work plan. No policies have been published since the previous update.

In December 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) in England released four Med Tech-related assessments in its HTA Journal, which concerned cervical ripening during labor induction in different settings, fasciectomy surgery for Dupuytren's contracture in adults, hybrid closed-loop systems in type 1 diabetes, point-of-care tests for urinary tract infections. 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 January 6, 2025, NHS England, jointly with the Department of Health and Social Care, published the plan to reform elective care. The key commitment is to return to a standard where 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029. To achieve this, NHS England has proposed an action plan, including financial incentives for elective care in areas with the longest waiting list.

In December 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published three new Interventional Procedures Guidance (Direct skeletal fixation of limb prostheses using an intraosseous transcutaneous implant, MRI-guided focused ultrasound subthalamotomy and thalamotomy for treating Parkinson’s), one new Diagnostic Guidance (Home-testing devices for diagnosing OSAHS) and one new Early Value Assessment (Digital technologies to support self-management of COPD).

On December 12, 2024, the Clinical Coding and Schedule Development (CCSD) working group, which develops and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclatures for private payers in England, published Bulletins 199 and 095 with changes to be implemented no later than February 10, 2025. Five new procedure codes related to diagnostic imaging, robotic surgery, and peripheral vascular, as well as one new diagnostic code, were introduced.

On December 5, 2024, NHS England announced the next steps in delegating commissioning responsibilities for prescribed specialized services to local commissioners - integrated care boards (ICBs). These include the final list of 70 specialized services delegated to all ICBs starting from April 2025

On December 4, 2024, the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) launched a consultation on whether to offer human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling option to under-screened people in the cervical cancer screening program alongside traditional clinician-collected sampling by a nurse or doctor. The deadline for comments submission is February 26, 2025.

On November 28, 2024, NHS England published a report summarising the Innovation Ecosystem Programme’s (IEP) findings and recommendations for the next steps. The IEP aimed to foster collaboration between the NHS and key stakeholders (industry, academia, and regulators) to streamline healthcare innovation. Recommendations are summarised in four areas: a) setting the direction, b) structures and tools for delivery, c) people, skills, and capabilities, and d) acceleration.

In November 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published one new Interventional Procedures Guidance concerning endoscopic bipolar radiofrequency ablation for malignant biliary obstruction. Furthermore, one new clinical guideline was published, and two were updated.