The new MTG report, Measuring Value in NHS Procurement of Health Technologies, finds that NHS procurement remains focused on short-term cost rather than the impact a technology can have on a patient’s life, and that this mismatch, not clinical disagreement, is the main driver of the ongoing postcode lottery in access to medical technology across England.
Despite a stated commitment to outcomes-driven care, purchasing decisions remain shaped by short-term cost, with the system lacking the accountability and data to recognise technologies that speed up recovery, support independence and help patients return to normal life. This, the report warns, is contributing to suppliers withdrawing products from the NHS market altogether.