NHS England backs new innovations for NHS use

NHS England has unveiled the new technologies that are to be fast-tracked into NHS use via the Innovation and Technology Payment Programme (ITP).

Launched in June 2017, the ITP aims to help create the conditions and cultural change necessary for proven innovations to be adopted faster and more systematically through the NHS.

Successful technologies are identified through a competitive process, after which NHS England will then identify ways of supporting their adoption across the health service.

The latest batch includes Heartflow, innovative image analysis software that creates a 3D model of the heart, and then analyses the impact that any blockages will have on blood flow to rapidly diagnose patients with suspected coronary artery disease. The technology could prevent up to 35,000 patients a year undergoing invasive tests, NHS England said.

Plus Sutures, a type of surgical suture that reduces the risk of infections like MRSA, will also join the NHS scheme, as will Endocuff Vision, a new type of ‘bowel scope’ that improves colorectal examination for patients undergoing bowel cancer tests, which has the potential to prevent six cases of the disease in every 1,000.

SecurAcath – A device to secure catheters that reduces the infection risk for patients with a peripherally inserted central catheter. The use of this equipment helps to reduce the time taken to care and treat dressing changes. This type of catheter is normally used in people needing intravenous access for several weeks or months in both inpatient and outpatient settings. NICE estimate up to 120,000 people per year could be eligible.

Also joining the programme is SecurAcath – a device to secure catheters that reduces the infection risk for patients with a peripherally inserted central catheter.

"For new innovations to flourish and spread at scale access to funding is critical, by buying these four innovations centrally NHS England has removed the barriers to the spread of these innovations so patients can benefit faster," said Professor Tony Young, national clinical lead for Innovation at NHS England.

England’s 15 Academic Health Science Networks will take direct responsibility for accelerating the uptake of these news technologies locally.

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