Diagnostics is right at the top of the NHS and DH’s agenda now – we hear that the incoming NHS England Chief Executive, Amanda Pritchard has been engaging on diagnostics and innovation prior to her appointment. Of course we need to bear in mind that, to Government and the NHS, diagnostics means imaging, endoscopy and physiological measurements as well as pathology and genomics. Even so, it does mean that BIVDA has time to capitalise on this and I‘m hoping by the end of the summer that we can announce some initiatives which will support our activities further, both to support members activities and promoting the industry to stakeholders. The Diagnostics Strategy and the open briefing last Monday has already been covered in this update but I’d like to reiterate the offer to get engaged and input on your organisation’s thinking on this would be welcomed.
On Tuesday, I joined colleagues to help brief the MHRA’s IVD External Advisory Group on the regulatory environment. Membership of this has not been announced publicly but it is chaired by Dr Martin Myers who many of you will know, at least from his work as one of the Pathology leads for the Get It Right First Time programme (GIRFT). Yesterday I attended, with a few members from BIVDA, a meeting with UKAS along with Steve Lee from ABHI, to discuss the latest news about the required evaluation of COVID antigen tests and we will be circulating news to the COVID Response Group next week which will be available to other members on request.
Today, the BIVDA Chair, Darren Stenlake and I attended a roundtable discussion on innovation in medtech hosted by the newly created MedTech Directorate. This was a lively discussion but it was well facilitated, with statements to discuss being provided, and the fact that everyone has plenty to say on this subject. It was also useful to have a forum for industry’s views to be heard and documented. It is difficult to agree on aspects of a subject like innovation when products range from OTC products to stoma care to active implantable devices, surgical equipment, imaging and pathology but Darren and I contributed points pertinent to IVDs as did some others and I am sure this is another topic which will be re-visited.
Next week, I am the keynote speaker for the West Midlands Health Technology Cluster who are launching their initiative called DIAGCOMM – Tuesday 3rd August at 4.15pm and for anyone who’d like to register please visit this page.
Doris-Ann
