ABHI undergoes engagement programme over adopting new technologies

ABHI is undergoing a programme of engagement to ensure health systems are equipped to adopt new digital health technologies safely.  

Led by ABHI’s senior director Andrew Davies, the association is utilising its long-standing market access and regulatory expertise to help shape a patient-focussed digital policy agenda in the UK. The work will sit alongside Regulation, Brexit and Procurement in the list of ABHI’s top priorities, with the association also aiming to strengthen its offer to the SME community.

This step follows ABHI’s 2017 decision to rebrand the Association, acknowledging the convergence of the health and technology sectors, and how such products and services improve health, rather than just treat disease. With over 11,000 people in the UK working in digital health, the sub-sector is now the largest employer within healthtech, with 59% of companies in the space forming within the past 10 years. In response, ABHI has convened a dedicated Digital Health Policy Group for its members to jointly develop industry’s position as regards to the UK’s ability to adopt these new technologies and services.

ABHI digital lead, Andrew Davies said: “Digital technologies have the ability to support a more efficient and effective health system, with significant benefits to patient care. Access to well curated data sets is critical for industry to apply their skills, knowledge and resources, unleashing the potential low of life saving and enhancing innovations. We are therefore working with the NHS, and the health system more broadly, to develop the necessary security, regulatory and ethical infrastructure that will enable the development and adoption of such innovations.” 

ABHI have also hired the former senior government affairs and public policy manager of Baxter Healthcare, Luella Trickett, in the role of director, value & access. Trickett will lead on embedding value based practices across patient pathways.

Commenting on her appointment, Trickett added: “Supporting the system to bring about the right changes that recognise and reward whole system value is fundamental. This is true for established technologies, as it is for new digitally-enabled products and services. As a long-time supporter and contributor to ABHI’s work, I look forward to driving forward the strategic agenda of the Association and working alongside the members we represent.”