About Us
The MTG is a not-for-profit coalition of patient groups, research charities and medical device manufacturers working to improve access to cost effective medical technologies for everyone who needs them.
Our membership ranges from national charities to international companies.
Our Goals
The common purpose of the MTG is to increase patient access to the best diagnostic, imaging, surgical and supported-living technologies on the NHS.
Appropriate use of medical technology provides value for money to the NHS, patients and taxpayers. It can improve clinical outcomes and experiences of patients and supports the well-being and personal development of individuals. It can also help to achieve savings to the NHS and other areas of public spending in a tight budgetary climate by improving independence, supporting care closer to home, and enabling faster rehabilitation after surgery as just a few examples.
Patient access to proven medical technology is not as good as it should be in the UK. For example: insulin pumps are NICE approved for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes but uptake stands at 4 percent compared to 35 percent in the USA.
Mainstream medical technology is an important part of the quality and efficiency agenda for today’s NHS.
We need to foster a culture of improvement in the NHS so that:
- patients are empowered to access the technology that could help them to manage their condition and get on with their lives;
- commissioners are equipped to plan and deliver services that address growing patient need cost effectively;
- clinicians can harness technologies wherever it can best support the outcomes and experiences of the patient.
Our Mission
Patients’ views need to be heard in all levels of government if the NHS is to be responsive to their needs. Patients understand the day-to-day realities of their conditions, and are thus best placed to decide how medical technologies can help them manage pain, remain independent and enjoy a better quality of life.
The MTG provides a forum for patient representatives to discuss their needs directly with medical technology manufacturers, which helps keep patients’ views at the forefront of device development.
The MTG’s regular engagement with clinicians, commissioners, public bodies and parliamentarians seeks to improve understanding of patients’ views and ensure they are factored into NHS and policy decisions.
Download a copy of our latest Annual Review.
