UK government launches innovator passport to speed up tech for NHS

The government is launching an innovator passport over the next two years to allow technology that has been “robustly assessed” by one NHS organisation to be easily rolled out to others.

It said that the new digital system will allow tech companies to innovate faster and give patients access to advanced technology as soon as it is ready to be rolled out.

The system also aims to eliminate multiple compliance assessments as well as reduce duplication across the health service.

The move comes as the government says that businesses have previously avoided working with the NHS due to multiple processes and slow timelines.

With the introduction of the innovator passport, the government says firms will be able to work with the NHS quicker than before, allowing patients to get more effective treatments.

Treatments currently being fast tracked through the scheme including special wound dressings, which the government said have already reducing surgical site infections by 38 per cent at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals.

The passport will be delivered through MedTech Compass, a digital platform developed by Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to make effective technologies more visible and widely available.

“For too long, Britain’s leading scientific minds have been held back by needless admin that means suppliers are repeatedly asked for the same data in different formats by different trusts – this is bad for the NHS, patients and bad for business,” said Wes Streeting, secretary of state for health and social care. “These innovator passports will save time and reduce duplication, meaning our life sciences sector – a central part of our 10 Year Health Plan – can work hand in hand with the health service and make Britain a powerhouse for medical technology.”

Last month the government announced it will launch AI technology that automatically identifies safety concerns across the NHS.

The new safety warning system will be able to rapidly analyse healthcare data and identify emerging safety issues, with an aim to stop failures in the NHS before they escalate.