Government challenges medical devices firms to improve NHS

The UK’s government is urging businesses to apply for a share of up to £1.5 million to support real-world testing of medical devices and digital technology that could make the NHS more efficient, and enable earlier diagnosis of cancer. Government agency Innovate the UK and the Office for Life Sciences are working in partnership to invest the money in business projects involving medtech. Life sciences have been identified as an important area for investment in this prime minister’s industrial strategy, with its turnover of £70 billion, employing nearly 235,000 people. Most companies in the sector are small, however, and finding real-world evidence to support the use of their innovations in the NHS is challenging. The agencies said in a joint statement that the funding will help business collect the evidence. Funding will support the development or design of plans for the collection of data on clinical performance and cost-effectiveness, or studies that collect the data.