‘Innovator passports’ to speed up NHS access to new technology

NHS patients are set to benefit from quicker access to cutting-edge treatments through a new digital system designed to reduce bureaucracy and accelerate innovation.

The “innovator passport”, due to be introduced over the next two years, will allow medical technology that has been approved by one NHS organisation to be rapidly rolled out across the health service. This streamlined approach will prevent multiple compliance checks and cut delays that have previously discouraged businesses from working with the NHS.

The initiative is part of the government’s Plan for Change and 10 Year Health Plan, which aim to modernise the health service and strengthen the UK’s life sciences sector. The passport will be delivered through MedTech Compass, a digital platform developed by the Department of Health and Social Care to showcase proven technologies and make them easier to adopt nationwide.

Examples of successful innovations already making an impact include wound dressings at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals, which have reduced surgical site infections by 38 per cent. At Barts Health NHS Trust, protective coverings for cardiac devices have cut infections and saved over £100,000 per year. University Hospitals Dorset has introduced rapid influenza testing, reducing bed occupancy and antibiotic use.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the new system would put an end to repeated requests for the same data across different NHS trusts. “These innovator passports will save time and reduce duplication, meaning our life sciences sector can work hand in hand with the health service and make Britain a powerhouse for medical technology,” he said. “Frustrated patients will no longer have to face a postcode lottery for lifesaving products.”

Dr Vin Diwakar, Clinical Transformation Director at NHS England, added: “We want to make sure NHS patients can benefit from the latest medical technology and innovations. The new passports will speed up the roll-out of proven treatments so that patients can benefit much sooner.”

By creating a “one-stop shop” for approvals, the government hopes to free up NHS resources, support business growth and ensure patients across the country gain faster access to the latest healthcare advances.