UK

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.

In November 2024, NICE introduced CHEERS-AI - a new reporting standard for health economic evaluations of AI technologies. This will help healthcare decision-makers understand the value of AI-enabled treatments, allowing patients to access the most promising ones faster.

In October 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) in England released seven Med Tech-related assessments in its HTA Journal, which concerned the Genedrive kit, timing of stoma closure in neonates, interventions in perceptual disorders after stroke, revascularisation strategy for chronic limb ischemia, MRI software and cognitive fusion biopsies in prostate cancer, transperineal prostate biopsy devices, and ultraviolet therapy in severe eczema. 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.

In October 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published two new Diagnostics Guidance concerning heart failure algorithms for remote monitoring in people with cardiac implantable electronic devices and digital technologies for assessing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

On October 3, 2024, NHS England published an updated work plan for specialized clinical commissioning policies development. One Med Tech-related policy in the orthopedic field was added to the work plan. No policies have been published since the previous update. The status of ongoing policies was updated.

On October 10, 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 198 and 094 with changes to be implemented no later than December 5, 2024. Fifty-two new procedure codes related to ENT, gastrointestinal, men’s health, urology, neurology and neurosurgery, gynecology, orthopedics, robotic surgery, and surgical procedures areas, and two new diagnostic codes were introduced.On October 10, 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 198 and 094 with changes to be implemented no later than December 5, 2024. Fifty-two new procedure codes related to ENT, gastrointestinal, men’s health, urology, neurology and neurosurgery, gynecology, orthopedics, robotic surgery, and surgical procedures areas, and two new diagnostic codes were introduced.

In Q3 2024, Health Technology Wales completed three full appraisals with the publication of Evidence Appraisal Report and Guidance (AI for whole slide prostate biopsy images, AI-assisted endoscopy for gastrointestinal cancer, and Floseal in the treatment of epistaxis). Furthermore, 24 Med Tech-related Topic Exploration Reports were published concerning cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, gynecology, e-health, in-vitro diagnostics, and other areas.

In September 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) in England released three MedTech-related assessments in its Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Journal, which concerned hyperthermic intraoperative peritoneal chemotherapy and cytoreductive surgery in peritoneal metastases, resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta in life-threatening torso hemorrhage, and clopidogrel resistance genotype testing. 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 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance.

On September 11, 2024, NHS England published an updated work plan for specialized clinical commissioning policies development. One MedTech-related policy was added to the program on long-term left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) for destination therapy in adults with heart failure. No new policies were published.