For the final issue of 2022, Ian Bolland reflects on the year that has been (so far) and what challenges may continue into 2023.
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Reflections
As it’s the last issue of 2022, it feels only right to do a piece reflecting on the year that has gone by, with a look ahead to the immediate future.
The start of the year had us feeling the aftereffects of a new COVID-19 variant with Omicron, the end of the year sees us potentially battling a newer variant and the NHS in the UK having to battle both a COVID and flu season – putting pressure on its already incredibly stretched resources.
It feels like that 2022 it has been the time when there has been some semblance or normality has returned. I am writing this editor’s letter on the eve of a trip to Germany, one of several international trips that would have been nigh on impossible just over 12 months before – and at this point I should say hello to those reading this at COMPAMED/MEDICA – an event that was one of the first we could attend last year but I’m sure there’s a different feel to this year. Getting in front of people and being able to talk about new innovations and how to tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow has been welcome.
But these challenges are big and potentially grave in many instances. As mentioned, there is the ongoing issue with health services being overstretched, other factors that are addressed in this issue include the pressure put on supply chains – whether that’s because of raw material scarcity or the geopolitical situation (or in some cases both), while many saw the pandemic as the opportune moment to pivot more sustainable ideas, products and ways of running, if they weren’t already doing so before.
These factors are unlikely to go away in 2023. There will still be the issue of technological adoption within health services, barriers to entry, new regulations and how the medical technology can ultimately help those on the front-line tackle the challenges that have been exacerbated by the last few years. In the UK, at least, one would hope that some political turmoil can subside and effective governance can break out to offer the necessary measures that are required to help the life sciences sector thrive and help the NHS become the world class health service that politicians have repeatedly stated is the ‘envy of the world’.
This year might have been the year when started to return to normal, but with spiralling energy costs and the multitude of challenges that have already been listed, 2023 could have a hangover of challenges brought about following actions taken in 2022. Another choppy period awaits, but we’ve all seen how resolute medical technology and its associated manufacturing industries can be – I’ve no doubt it can make the next 12 months a success.
