DHSC and NHSE invite industry feedback on the new MedTech Commercial & Growth Strategy

Last Updated on 17/02/2026 by Sarah Sarsby

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England (NHSE) are developing a new MedTech Commercial & Growth Strategy to bring greater cohesion, efficiency, and innovation to the way the NHS buys and uses medical technology.

During a recent industry webinar, representatives from DHSC and NHSE outlined the aims of the strategy and emphasised the need for input from across the MedTech industry – including BHTA members – to help shape its development.

Addressing fragmentation in the medtech landscape

The NHS currently spends around £13 billion annually on medtech across six key categories: medical consumables, implants, equipment, pathology, and medtech digital systems. However, procurement remains fragmented, with duplication of effort, inconsistent standards, and missed opportunities for innovation.

The proposed strategy aims to bring commercial cohesion to this environment by aligning national and local procurement approaches, reducing duplication, and creating efficiencies that benefit both the health service and suppliers. This approach also supports key national frameworks, including the NHS 10-Year Health Plan and the Life Sciences Sector Plan, both of which prioritise innovation and improved patient outcomes.

What the strategy seeks to achieve

The MedTech Commercial & Growth Strategy is designed to:

• Reduce the fragmented buying environment and deliver clear, consistent category approaches that optimise spend and encourage innovation.
• Drive value-based procurement by prioritising outcomes and whole-pathway benefits over lowest-cost decisions.
• Establish a unified commercial framework that makes it easier for suppliers to engage with the NHS.
• Position medtech as a strategic driver for UK growth, supporting national economic priorities.

To deliver these objectives, DHSC and NHSE are developing three core outputs:

1. An overarching commercial strategy – analysing challenges and opportunities across the medtech sector.
2. Sub-category plans – covering major areas of spend with tailored approaches to procurement, innovation, and market engagement.
3. An implementation plan – outlining governance, timelines, and actions to bring the strategy to life.

Collaboration across the system

The programme is being developed collaboratively by DHSC, NHS England, and NHS Supply Chain, with input from industry partners and clinical experts. Dedicated sub-category teams – covering consumables, implants and devices, equipment, and medtech digital – will be supported by commercial and clinical experts from across the system, ensuring the strategy reflects the realities of front-line delivery.

BHTA was recognised in the webinar as a key trade association engaging with the programme, underlining the association’s central role in ensuring that members’ insights inform policy decisions.

How BHTA members can contribute

The DHSC and NHSE are currently in the discovery phase, seeking to understand suppliers’ experiences, challenges, and opportunities through direct feedback. This engagement will help identify practical ways to improve procurement consistency, simplify market access, and accelerate adoption of innovative technologies.

BHTA members are strongly encouraged to share their views by completing the supplier feedback survey before 6 March 2026. Feedback from this survey will directly inform the next phase of the strategy’s development, including detailed category plans and pilot initiatives.

Complete the supplier feedback survey here.  

BHTA encourages all members to contribute their feedback to ensure that the final strategy delivers tangible benefits for both the industry and patients. Members’ insights will help shape a more efficient, transparent, and innovation-friendly medtech environment across the NHS.

In addition, NHSE and DHSC are running the same MedTech Commercial & Growth Strategy industry webinar again on 10 March for suppliers who were unable the recent webinar. Members can register for this webinar here.