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At the BHTA Joint Section Meeting 2026, held on 18 June 2026 at the British Motor Museum in Warwickshire, delegates heard from Rachel Russell, Head of Regional Advice at Foundations.
Her session introduced the Home Adaptations Installer Network (HAIN), a new initiative designed to improve confidence in home adaptations by creating a national network of accredited installers. Rachel explored why trusted contractors are essential to the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) process and how HAIN aims to benefit householders, installers, and local authorities alike.
Opening the session, Rachel highlighted the growing importance of the DFG, noting that government investment has increased from around £230 million in 2013 to £733 million today. She explained that this reflects the increasing recognition of home adaptations as a key part of helping people live independently and supporting wider prevention across health and social care.
While contractors play a vital role in delivering adaptations, Rachel noted that they are often overlooked within the wider process. Although government guidance encourages local authorities to maintain lists of qualified contractors, many authorities still do not have formal accredited lists in place.
She outlined the challenges this creates for each stakeholder. For householders, finding installers with the specialist knowledge, empathy, and professionalism needed to work safely and respectfully in people’s homes can be difficult. For installers, differing registration requirements across local authorities create unnecessary administrative burdens, while inconsistent pipelines of work can make it harder to plan ahead. Local authorities, meanwhile, face significant resource demands in vetting contractors, maintaining approved lists, and managing complaints.
To address these challenges, Foundations has worked with TrustMark Scheme Provider Diversity to establish the Home Adaptations Installer Network.
The network provides a single, nationally recognised route for installers undertaking DFG work, giving local authorities access to vetted contractors while providing consumers with greater confidence when selecting an installer.
Rachel explained that all HAIN members are TrustMark registered and undergo comprehensive vetting, including financial and insurance checks, verification of qualifications and memberships, consumer review assessments, DBS checks, and director checks.
Members also commit to a Code of Practice covering clear quotations, respectful customer service, health and safety standards, insurance and guarantees, DBS requirements, and a transparent complaints process. Installers who fail to meet these standards can be removed from the scheme.
Rachel described HAIN as delivering benefits for everyone involved in the adaptations process.
For householders, the network offers reassurance that installers have specialist knowledge of home adaptations, have been independently vetted, and are supported by appropriate insurance, warranties, and a national complaints process.
For installers, a single registration process removes the need to complete multiple local authority applications, while increasing visibility to councils and consumers looking for trusted contractors. Members also gain access to ongoing technical guidance, training opportunities, and continuing professional development.
Local authorities benefit from access to a ready-made network of accredited installers without the administrative burden of carrying out their own vetting processes. Rachel explained that this can help reduce risk, improve consistency, and support faster delivery of DFG adaptations. The service is provided free of charge to local authorities.
Looking ahead, Rachel said the ambition is for the network to support not only DFG work but also the wider private home adaptations market, making it easier for older and disabled people to find trusted installers regardless of how their adaptations are funded.
The session highlighted the importance of collaboration in improving access to high-quality home adaptations. By bringing together installers, local authorities, and householders within a shared framework of quality and accountability, HAIN aims to raise standards, build confidence, and support more timely delivery of adaptations that enable people to live safely and independently at home.
At the BHTA Joint Section Meeting 2026, held on 18 June 2026 at the British Motor Museum in Warwickshire, delegates heard from Ceara Chamberlin, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Newlife, and Daniel Laing, Associate Director of Tendo.
Their session explored the findings of the Children’s Commissioner’s report, ‘Children Waiting to Leave Hospital’, alongside the ongoing work of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Access to Disability Equipment.
The session examined the challenges disabled children and their families face when accessing essential equipment and support, and highlighted the growing role of collaboration between charities, industry, and Parliament in improving outcomes.
Introducing Newlife’s work, Ceara explained that the charity provides life-changing specialist disability equipment to thousands of disabled children across the UK through grants and emergency loans, helping them access school, participate in their communities, and experience the joys of childhood.
She then examined the report, which found that thousands of children who are medically fit to leave hospital remain there because appropriate support is unavailable. More than 260,000 children spend three weeks or more in hospital, almost 35,000 remain for longer than three months, and more than 11,000 spend over a year in hospital, often missing out on family life, education, and play.
The report identifies several causes of delayed discharge, including fragmented services, shortages of care placements, inconsistent community support, and delays to housing adaptations and specialist equipment.
The report recommends stronger joint commissioning across health services, local authorities, and schools, improved data on discharge delays, greater support for children’s homecare services, better access to housing adaptations, and increased investment through the Disabled Facilities Grant.
Building on the report’s findings, Ceara said equipment should be considered an integral part of discharge planning rather than an afterthought. As more care is delivered closer to home, timely access to equipment is increasingly enabling both safe discharge and childhood, reinforcing the need for stronger integration between health, social care, and education.
Ceara also highlighted the importance of better data to demonstrate both the scale of delayed discharge and the preventative value of equipment. Improved evidence, she suggested, would strengthen the case for investment by showing how timely provision can prevent hospital admissions as well as support earlier discharge. She concluded by recognising the important role charities continue to play in filling gaps in statutory provision, while noting that families should not have to rely on charitable support to access essential equipment.
The second half of the session focused on the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Access to Disability Equipment, established in 2025 to improve parliamentary understanding of the barriers preventing timely access to specialist equipment.
Daniel explained how the APPG brings together parliamentarians, the BHTA, Newlife, Whizz Kidz, and other organisations to improve understanding of community equipment and inform future policy. Since its launch, the group has grown to more than 40 parliamentarians, launched a national inquiry, and published recommendations on improving access to disability equipment.
He also described how the APPG’s work is helping to raise the profile of community equipment within Parliament, with debates, parliamentary questions, and proposed legislative amendments increasingly reflecting the issues identified through the APPG’s evidence gathering.
The session concluded by reinforcing the importance of continued collaboration between charities, industry, healthcare professionals, and policymakers. As discussions around children’s services, integrated care, and community equipment continue to develop, improving access to specialist equipment remains a key part of enabling disabled children to leave hospital sooner, participate more fully in everyday life, and receive the support they need closer to home.
As UK MedTech policy continues to evolve, BHTA members have an important opportunity to hear directly from Paul Griffiths, Head of Policy and Implementation, MedTech Directorate, at the BHTA Joint Section Meeting 2026.
Paul will deliver the opening keynote, ‘UK MedTech Strategy Update’, exploring the latest developments shaping UK MedTech policy, innovation adoption, procurement reform, and implementation priorities. The session will provide valuable insight into the strategic direction of the sector and what future policy developments could mean for healthcare businesses.
Ahead of the event, the BHTA spoke with Paul about the key policy updates members should be aware of and why his session will be valuable.
BHTA: What are the key MedTech policy updates that BHTA members should be aware of in 2026?
Paul Griffiths: “We are seeing continued delivery of key programmes of the NHS 10 Year Plan and the Life Sciences Sector Plan. Recent highlights include publication of the Value Based Procurement Standard Guidance and the start of the Wave 1 Part IX Drug Tariff renewal assessments.”
BHTA: What does the latest direction of UK MedTech policy mean for healthcare businesses?
Paul Griffiths: “Increased clarity and less friction making the UK, and the NHS in particular, a more attractive place to invest and innovate.”
BHTA: How is the government looking to improve the adoption of innovative MedTech?
Paul Griffiths: “A significant amount of work is underway to improve the way we adopt innovative MedTech. You only have to see progress on developing the National Health Tech Access Programme, standard guidance on Value Based Procurement, and the work on regulatory reform, to see we are committed to driving improvement.”
BHTA: Why should BHTA members attend your session at the Joint Section Meeting?
Paul Griffiths: “This will be an opportunity to get the latest updates and development on policy in the MedTech space.”
BHTA: Will you be sharing any new updates or insights that have not previously been discussed publicly?
Paul Griffiths: “Information is in public domain, for example the recent publication of Value Based Procurement standard guidance.”
For BHTA members, these topics have real relevance. From procurement and regulatory reform to innovation adoption, and NHS priorities, Paul’s keynote will help members better understand the direction of travel for UK MedTech policy.
The BHTA Joint Section Meeting 2026 takes place on 18 June at the British Motor Museum, Warwickshire. Free to attend for BHTA members, the event will bring together members from across all sections for a day of insight, collaboration, and networking.
Alongside Paul’s opening keynote, the agenda includes expert sessions covering employment law, housing adaptations, disability inclusion, market intelligence, and wider healthcare sector trends.
Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from Paul directly and gain valuable insight into the policy developments shaping the future of the sector.
At the BHTA 2025 Joint Section Meeting, Glynn Jones from the Bank of England presented ‘The economic outlook for the UK’.
Glynn noted that once the Bank changes the bank rate, it can take around 18‑24 months before it has an impact on consumers and businesses, so the economy is still absorbing the impact of earlier rate increases.
The UK economy has struggled to grow post-covid. It has seen near‑stagnation since mid‑2024 due to domestic and international uncertainties that have affected consumers and businesses. The Bank’s central forecast foresees a gradual upturn, with annual GDP growth rising to roughly 1.75 percent by the end of the three‑year horizon, still below the pre‑financial‑crisis trend of more than two percent.
Household spending is held back by uncertainty: the saving ratio has climbed to 11 percent despite real income gains from cooling inflation and still‑firm wage settlements.
On the corporate side, investment intentions remain positive but subdued, reflecting persistent domestic and global uncertainties since the 2016 referendum.
Headline CPI has nudged above three percent, largely because of one‑off increases in regulated utility tariffs and energy bills. The Monetary Policy Committee is “looking through” this move; futures curves point to lower energy costs than in 2022, and domestic demand is not running hot.
More persistent gauges of price pressure are easing: services inflation and wage growth, which peaked close to eight percent, have slowed as vacancies fall and labour‑market slack emerges. On current projections, CPI returns to the two percent target during 2026 so long as inflation expectations remain anchored.
Globally, growth has slowed to about half its pre‑pandemic pace amid heightened tariff uncertainty and the re‑routing of supply chains. UK net trade is therefore expected to exert a modest drag on output throughout the forecast. Tariff‑related disinflation should dampen import prices in the near term, while the longer‑term effects on competitiveness remain uncertain. Energy markets, though still volatile, are not assumed to repeat the 2022 price shock in the Bank’s baseline.
Vacancies have fallen sharply from their 2022 peak, and evidence points to a pause in hiring as firms rebuild balance sheets and respond to higher borrowing costs. Wage settlements are moderating in line with this softer demand for labour.
Structural issues, including elevated inactivity linked to ill‑health and recent shocks such as Brexit, the pandemic, and the energy crisis, may be weighing on potential supply, raising questions about the economy’s speed limit; however, reliable data on these shifts will take time to emerge.
Earlier this month, Glynn Jones from the Bank of England gave an important presentation to British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) members about the UK’s economic outlook.
The talk took place at the BHTA’s inaugural joint meeting for the Children’s Equipment, Independent Living, and Mobility sections on 5 July 2023. This event ran at the Walton Hall Hotel and Spa in Warwickshire and provided insightful presentations for attendees and demonstrated the value of being a BHTA member.
One of the key presentations from the day was from Glynn with a UK economy forecast.
He explained that trade shock has negatively impacted the UK economy, including challenges around export and import. Inflationary pressures means that the UK has been poorer overall.
The most recent UK economy forecasts – from May 2023 – reveal that:
See below some interesting slides from Glynn’s presentation about Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation trends and forecasts.
However, inflation coming down will be slower than its sharp increase. As the UK imports a lot of food and energy, this has caused major inflation. Supply-side shocks are also a big factor, added Glynn.
Additionally, wage inflation has increased. Employers, on average, are offering two to three percent pay increases. If margins have been squeezed and there are no productivity gains within firms, this all means companies have to increase their prices, he underlined.
The UK’s labour market is tight because of inactivity due to sickness and ill health, such as anxiety, long waiting lists, and mental health decline, Glynn pointed out. The upside, he continued, is that there has been growth in employment in the UK. Last year, unemployment was at the lowest it had been in 50 years.
Looking at gross domestic product (GDP) growth, the demand outlook for May 2023 is stronger than February 2023, partly owing to lower energy prices. GDP growth is positive throughout, Glynn added, rising by a quarter of a percent in 2023 and forecasted to rise by three quarters of a percent in 2024 and 2025.
In the near term, unfortunately, growth prospects within the UK remain weak. Find out more in the slide below.
On Wednesday 5 July 2023, the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) held its first joint meeting for the Children’s Equipment, Independent Living, and Mobility sections, which received high praise from attendees.
The event took place in the scenic countryside setting of Walton Hall Hotel and Spa in Warwickshire, where guests were served arrival tea, coffee, and pastries, along with a buffet lunch.
It was a chance for BHTA members and key stakeholders to come together face-to-face to network and gain insights from knowledgeable speakers on a diverse range of relevant and important topics.
The following sessions took place:
BHTA members could also attend a 1:1 export clinic with the Institute of Export and International Trade.
Reflecting on the event, David Stockdale, BHTA Chief Executive, said: “This was the first time we’ve held a joint section meeting for the Children’s Equipment, Mobility, and Independent Living sections, and it is great to see how well the event has been received by members.
“We are continually looking at ways to improve BHTA membership to ensure it is relevant, beneficial, and valuable. This joint meeting is a brilliant example of what can be achieved when we collaborate across sections and underlines just one of the benefits of being a BHTA member.
“Thank you to all of our speakers and members who attended for making the day a big success.”
The joint section meeting has also had a positive response from BHTA members.
Hayley Phillippault, Chair of BHTA Children’s Equipment section, commented: “We brought together a diverse group of speakers to address topics that matter to members across the sections, from the future of the UK economy to new innovations in accessible aviation.
“From my perspective as Chair of the Children’s Equipment section, the session delivered by Gulvinder Kaur from Taylor Price Solicitors on EHCPs (Education, Health and Care Plans) was particularly enlightening. I have already shared some of the advice she gave in her presentation with a parent currently going through the EHCP process.
“In each session speakers provided actionable advice and resources to the members who attended, which underlines the practical value to members of BHTA membership.”
Veronica Downing, Vice Chair of BHTA’s Independent Living (Retailers) section, remarked: “The whole day’s programme was interesting and informative, even if, as a retailer, Rehability does not export and import goods directly!
“Although I am not an economist, the presentation by Glynn Jones from the Bank of England was fascinating, understandable, and it was so helpful to see the issues of finance, legislation and the economy that are impacting on the healthcare industry within the context of the UK, Europe and globally and how they impact on our own businesses and the consumer.
“In the afternoon, case studies and videos of practical demonstrations of equipment, design in the making and real-life application to improve wheelchair users experience as air passengers helped to break up more intensely informative sessions.”
Simon Tempest, Vice Chair of BHTA’s Mobility section, said: “I thought the day was very well put together, the venue, the speakers, and the content were all well organised. It was also a good opportunity for networking and spending time with industry experts I would not usually get the time with.
“My highlights were the presentation and insight from the Bank of England, as well as the regulatory segment. I also enjoyed the presentation about the potential for individuals to have the ability to travel with their powerchair or mobility device directly on an aircraft.”
Stephen Kirkpatrick, Vice Chair of BHTA’s Children Equipment section, added: “The sessions that were provided by consultant speakers were educational and incredibly relevant to inform the complexities of operating in provision to today’s healthcare market in the UK, particularly the import, export and shipping sessions that helped to distill much of the operational requirements as well as conformity to regulation into an easy-to-understand session.
“My key highlight was the education, health and care plan session presented by Gurvinder Kaur. This subject holds great relevance to us as assistive technology suppliers to the home and school markets and the deeper understanding can help us in turn to inform healthcare professionals and families on their statutory rights to optimised and supported provisions that enable maximised opportunities to access to learning.
“Following years of online meetings, it was incredible to come together as separate sections to share a joint experience full of informative and engaging subjects with highly knowledgeable speakers. Amazing things happen when we come together and we engage.”