A happy and healthy New Year to you. I am delighted to say that, despite the significant challenges of 2020, the MTG had one of its most active and successful years ever. With your help and commitment, our group has shown that we provide an important and unified voice for improved patient access to medical technology. Thank you.

I’m sure we can look forward to another successful year for the Group in 2021 that will see us use the unique diversity of the MTG’s membership, underpinned by our mutual desire to improve the lives of patients. This was best seen last year in the group’s Putting Patients First campaign and our webinar series which affirmed the Group’s breadth of knowledge and expertise on all issues around patient access. Its success was in no small part thanks to our patient group members, who despite many difficulties caused by COVID-19, continued to play an invaluable role in supporting the MTG’s work.

Industry members’ experience and guidance was pivotal to the MTG’s impact. Their support and, in particular, contributions to consultations and parliamentary engagement, helped us play an influential role in policy formation, and welcome at meetings with key influencers.

Our 2021 strategy aims to put patients at the heart of everything we do. We will also mark the MTG’s 20th anniversary and launch an MTG Manifesto which will celebrate the positive impact of the MTG and set out what we can achieve, together, in the future. Patient group involvement will be key to this project, throughout the year, and I hope they will enrich it with their inimitable insights, stories and ideas.

All member support will be needed for the MTG’s Access Accelerator launch taking place in the spring. Meanwhile, we are expecting key NHS legislation this year and to influence this effectively the MTG will need both patient groups and industry members more than ever.

I believe that 2021 will be a year of consolidation for our group and reinforce our position as a voice for improved patient access to underused as well as new medical technologies. To set the tone for the year, I’m pleased to announce that later this month members will be meeting with Lord Bethell, Minister for Innovation at the Department of Health and Social Care.

On behalf of the Management Committee, I would like to thank you for your unerring backing and encouragement, demonstrated by your readiness to help and be involved over the years and especially during 2020. It gives us the confidence to have high expectations for another good year.

Yours sincerely

Barbara Harpham

January 2021