The UK government has announced a new strategy aimed at increasing the reuse, recycling and re-manufacturing of medical technologies, which experts think could save Britain billions of pounds.
The department of health and social care said that approximately £10bn is spent yearly on medical technology (MedTech), but too much is imported in ways which disrupt or harm patient care, according to government figures.
An economy-wide shift could add an expected £75bn to the economy, creating over 500,000 jobs by 2030.
This ‘Design For Life’ roadmap, revealed by Health Minister Baroness Gillian Merron, set out 30 key actions to be achieved by 2045, aimed at fostering sustainability and innovation within the sector.
Disposable medical devices contribute to the 156,000 tonnes of clinical waste that the NHS produces in England yearly. To address this issue, the roadmap will employ a circular technique, meaning fewer materials and more reuse and recycling are being used.
Bringing together over 80 stakeholders from the UK’s MedTech industry, its primary goal is to reduce waste and drive sustainability in healthcare.
This adheres to the health minister recently that the NHS is set for a technology transformation from “analogue to digital”.
The Department of Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) data shows that the reuse of medical devices could result in carbon savings of 38 per cent to 56 per cent across product life cycles.
Merron said the approach would “support the transition to net zero” and allow the sector to grow while delivering greater value to the NHS.
DHSC acknowledged that the benefits of a circular economy are well understood, but scaling these efforts have proven difficult.
The roadmap outlines efforts to tackle these challenges by exploring new commercial incentives, creating standards for innovative products, and fostering collaborations across the industry.
Companies may be more open to circular strategies to cut costs and remain competitive amid tightening budgets and increasing demand for greener practices.
Merron said, this plan “doesn’t just deliver on the Health Mission” but “also delivers on our growth mission to make the UK a life science superpower and our commitment to get the NHS to net zero by 2045”.
The roadmap could boost the economy by accelerating the adoption of innovative health technologies, attracting investment and streamlining the approval process for new medical devices.
For example, harmonic shears – used to seal patients’ wounds – each cost more than £500 and around 90 per cent are disposed of after single use. Innovative companies are purchasing these used devices and re-manufacturing them at a discounted price.
For SMEs, this scheme could lower barriers to market entry and encourage MedTech startups to scale quicker. Yet, these smaller firms may struggle to meet these new standards.
This comes at a time of reform for the NHS, where public satisfaction sits at an all-time low as it is, as Lord Dazi, state of health said, “in serious trouble”.
Yet, as Sir Stephen Powis, National Medical director of the NHS, said: “The NHS is made a record £7bn worth of efficiency last year and is targeting a further £9bn of savings for 2024-2025.”
This scheme may create other ways for us to all “get our money’s worth for every penny we spend”, he added.