The DHSC Medtech Directorate shared the final details of the strategy which has been submitted to ministers this week, it has not substantially changed from the initial presentations and information that members were provided at our AGM in March 2022.
The approval and response from ministers are expected this week, to aim to publish on the 4 July, however there is an expectation that it will be more likely to be released at the end of July, with a view to tie into the OLS implementation timeline.
We were informed that the Q&A preparation is underway which will be released in the future publications.
The Diagnostics Strategy team have been focusing on answers to Parliamentary Questions over the past two months, and the work on the demand signalling and market access elements by Tim Ferris and his team is ramping up. BIVDA expected to be involved in this and will be in touch with the team over the coming months.
We discussed pandemic preparedness and are pleased to see that the Directorate team agree that our proposal for trade associations to be included “at the top of command-and-control emergency plans” via strategic relationship management and a source of contact information is a sensible one and worth pursuing.
It is expected to be low key launch under the normal embargo procedures, and there will be an information Webinar to follow 5 days after the launch. We will notify members of any dates and joining instructions as they come through.
The team indicated that there is an intention to have 1-1’s with suppliers throughout the process, and suppliers will be contacted directly.
In other stakeholder engagement news, Doris-Ann and Michael met with MP Andrew Gwynne’s policy team to discuss Labour policy planning around diagnostics. We are pleased to say that the IVD Roundtable, originally planned in November 2021, will be taking place after the Summer Recess with the help of Mr Gwynne and Wes Streeting’s office teams. More information around dates and agenda items will be circulated to members when confirmed.
