Value & Access

Overview

The Value and Access group is the combined Commercial Policy group and Market Access Policy group. It brings together our work on the adoption and spread of innovation and the commercial uptake by the NHS, while allowing the specific needs of market access and procurement to be addressed. The objective of the group is to ensure that the NHS takes a value-based approach to the assessment, adoption and procurement of health technologies across the system.

Leadership

Market Access

Chair: Kieran Murphy, ReCor Medical UK
Vice Chairs: Julian Dunnett, Intuitive Surgical Ltd & David Dawson, Becton Dickinson UK Ltd

Commercial Policy

Chair: Graeme Cameron, Pennine Healthcare
Vice Chairs: Matthew Bramley, Cook Medical & Michelle Sullivan, Boston Scientific

Achievements

Market Access

Delivered ABHI Paper to NICE on critical aspects for inclusion in the Methods and Process Review.
Group members provided input to the NICE Methods and Process Review Task & Finish groups ensuring sector voice taken into account. The Case for Change consultation included points provided by members.
Provided critical feedback on the MedTech Funding Mandate Policy to instigate change in the requirement for in-year savings.

Commercial

Delivered paper to Ministers on procurement landscape and 10 recommendations for the future requirements of NHS procurement.
Created key commercial messages and led engagement with NHS Supply Chain on critical issues.
Collated examples of innovations used to support the NHS during the COVID-19 crisis, which were shared with NICE, the Accelerated Access Collaborative and NHS Wales Value Based Procurement.

Priorities - Market Access

NICE
Appraisal & Guidance Programmes.

MultiTech evaluations, including Late Stage Assessments (LSA).
- Respond to letter from NICE with ongoing concerns regarding LSA, including consultations on methods & process, scoping and assumed equivalence expert opinion – Q1 2024.
- Follow up as necessary – ongoing.
Interventional Procedure Guidance.
- Seek clarity on Terms of Reference for IPGs (bearing in mind newly implanted costs effectiveness assessments) - Q2 2024.
- Formally request feedback on why the percentage of IPGs with special arrangements is so much higher than those with standard arrangement compared with historical ratios – Q2 2024.
Topic Selection.
- Following conclusion of NICE Listens work on prioritisation that will inform topic selection, review outcome of the prioritisation – when published.
- Initiate a formal discussion with NICE for how Topic Selection will support HealthTech resulting based on the Priorities – within 1 month of publication.
Ensure Industry inclusion in all NICE committees - end of 2024.

NHS England & DHSC where relevant

Create and share (with minimum DHSC) ABHI’s innovation adoption seamless pathway and funding mechanism proposal – Q1 2024.

Specialised Commissioning transparency and process.

Send letter to Specialised Commissioning – end Jan 2024.
Review and devise action plan (including escalation to the Health Technology Partnership (HTP) as appropriate) based on response from NHS England Q1 2024.
Agree further action – as necessary – review position at June Value & Access group meeting.
Request engagement for expediting the development of a formal process for prioritising technologies to be reimbursed where IPG status is ‘Special Arrangements’. Currently it is expected to be developed over 2024 and finalised for 2025/26 financial year. - Q2 2024

Innovation Ecosystem Programme

Continued engagement using the Adoption landscape paper asks as the basis to surface concerns – through year

Priorities - Value & Access

Department of Health & Social Care MedTech Strategy Engagement - Innovation & Value Based Procurement.

Respond to issued next draft of value based question set – Q1 2024.
Support soft launch - Q2 2024.
Provide feedback on how the questions are implemented in tenders - Q2 to Q4.

Priorities - Commercial Group

Through the Health Technology Partnership (HTP) Procurement & Innovation Group seek solutions to procurement issues identified in the paper sent to the HTP and discussed at the subsequent OLS/DHSC/NHS England meeting.

Convened by NHS England participate in a deep dive with NHS Supply Chain about issues with current tendering practice and the potential for the creation of a Safe Harbour. Q1 - 2024.

Refresh and revitalise NHS Supply Chain engagement now new organisation in place, although still without a substantive Commercial Director – Operationally & Strategically.

1st meeting early Q2 2024 face to face.

Engage and act of key elements of the NHS England Commercial Strategic Framework.

Request details on the format and execution of NHS Core List – Q1 2024.
Request involvement in category Councils - Q1 2024.
Engage in workstream as detail understood – as known.

Useful Resources

Click here to view the latest updates, minutes and future meeting dates for the group.

Get Involved

To join the ABHI Value & Access group, contact luella.trickett@abhi.org.uk

“During these most challenging of times the support of the ABHI has never been more critical. The Value & Access group is a group of like-minded suppliers to the NHS who are passionate about ensuring that the correct quality and access to medical technology is provided for the benefit of all patients. Despite the coronavirus crisis we have never stopped in trying to push forward with this vision driven by constant dialogue with Supply Chain Coordination Limited to deliver operational equity, while delivering on the ultimate goal of ensuring that value-based procurement and healthcare become the bedrock of NHS procurement.”
Graeme Cameron, CEO, Pennine Healthcare & Chair, ABHI Commercial

“Covering the way health technologies are assessed, commissioned and hospitals reimbursed, market access is critical to commercial success of ABHI members. The Market Access group works to ensure the NHS enables timely access to benefit patients and the wider health system. In an ever-changing landscape, it is critical that the health technology industry works effectively with Government and the NHS to realise these benefits and remove barriers which work against achieving the best patient outcomes within an efficient health system across the UK.”
Kieran Murphy, Senior Director, Market Access, ReCor Medical UK & Chair, ABHI Market Access

Member Groups