Essential meetings for the MedTech industry centered on Value-Based Procurement strategy
The UK Health Department is inviting stakeholders to shape a new evaluation methodology that will transform the procurement of medical devices and digital products. This move marks a significant shift from a system based predominantly on price to one that prioritizes patient experience and outcomes.
The latest update on the Value Based Procurement (VBP) methodology for medical devices in the UK is that the NHS is set to introduce standardised value-based procurement guidance starting early 2026. This new system will prioritize best value and patient outcomes by purchasing productivity-enhancing medical devices and digital products nationally and distributing them through an internal NHS marketplace.
From April 2026, NICE's technology appraisal process will be expanded beyond medicines to include select medical devices, diagnostics, and digital products, creating the first national pathway to prioritize and fund high-impact health technologies based on value to patient outcomes and NHS sustainability.
A pilot of Value Based Procurement is planned for the end of 2025 as part of broader efforts to improve medical device market access and regulatory routes in the UK. By 2029, national registries for robotic surgery data and telesurgery networks are expected to support advanced MedTech adoption.
Challenges to successful implementation include ensuring detailed evaluation frameworks capturing long-term strategic benefits, such as infection reduction and staff retention, and integrating technical and clinical expertise to achieve meaningful value beyond initial cost savings.
Chris Whitehouse, a political consultant and expert on medical technology policy and regulation, emphasizes the importance of the evidence of value required under the new system taking into account real-world studies, particularly if they have been industry-funded but delivered with NHS or social care partners. Whitehouse, who is also a governor of the Anscombe Bioethics Centre and the chair of the Urology Trade Association, can be contacted at [email protected] for comments or questions about the article.
Whitehouse Communications, where Whitehouse serves as a director, is an advisor to MedTech suppliers. The MedTech Directorate of the Department of Health and Social Care has called on MedTech developers and suppliers to come together with officials for two market engagement sessions on 7 and 13 May.
This represents a transformational shift in NHS procurement strategy from a purely cost-driven approach to focusing on long-term value and innovation adoption to improve patient care and system sustainability.
| Date | Key Update | |-----------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | End of 2025 | Planned launch of a Value Based Procurement pilot | | Early 2026 | Introduction of standardised value-based procurement guidance for devices and digital products across the NHS | | April 2026 | Expansion of NICE's technology appraisal to include select devices, diagnostics, and digital health products | | By 2029 | National registries for robotic surgery data and telesurgery networks to support advanced MedTech adoption |
[1] NHS England. (2022). Value-Based Procurement for Medical Devices and Digital Products. Retrieved from https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/vbp-for-medical-devices-and-digital-products.pdf
[2] Department of Health and Social Care. (2022). Value Based Procurement: A Guide for Local Health and Care Systems. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/value-based-procurement-a-guide-for-local-health-and-care-systems/value-based-procurement-a-guide-for-local-health-and-care-systems
[3] National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2022). Technology Appraisal Process: Expansion beyond medicines. Retrieved from https://www.nice.org.uk/about/what-we-do/our-programmes/technology-appraisal/technology-appraisal-process-expansion-beyond-medicines
- The science of medicine is undergoing a transformation with the advent of Value Based Procurement (VBP), particularly in the UK where it's being applied to medical devices and digital products.
- A shift in focus from immediate costs to long-term value and innovation is evident in the health-and-wellness sector, as the UK Health Department actively seeks input from stakeholders to shape the evaluation methodology for medical devices and digital products.
- Finance plays a crucial role in this transformation, as the NHS prepares to introduce standardised value-based procurement guidance for these products starting in early 2026.
- The latest in lifestyle trends includes an increased emphasis on home-and-garden technology, as showcased by the planned expansion of NICE's technology appraisal process to include select medical devices, diagnostics, and digital products from April 2026.
- The advancements in medical-conditions treatment through therapies-and-treatments, such as robotic surgery, will be supported by national registries by 2029, thereby improving patient care and NHS sustainability.
- The sports industry may also benefit from this shift, as the focus on patient outcomes fosters an environment conducive to innovation and improvements in treatments.
- Fashion-and-beauty and food-and-drink industries can observe this transformation as they too cater to consumer needs, including the demands for productivity-enhancing devices and products.
- Technology will continue to play a significant role in the industry's evolution, with the Department of Health and Social Care hosting market engagement sessions for MedTech developers and suppliers to discuss the implications of the new VBP system, as highlighted by political consultant Chris Whitehouse.
