Greater Manchester’s drive to transform the health of its 2.8m citizens took another step forward today with the announcement of a new partnership with the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI).
The purpose of the partnership is to ensure that the area benefits from the accelerated introduction of the latest proven healthcare technologies, innovations which can transform health outcomes through earlier diagnosis, more-effective treatments, and care services which are provided in the home and in the community, rather than in hospitals.
The link-up brings together local health and care providers and funders; Health Innovation Manchester, the body responsible for working with industry to accelerate the discovery and implementation of health innovation; and the ABHI, a national umbrella for innovative businesses in the health technology sector.
To be known as the Greater Manchester Health Technologies Group; the partnership will provide clear guidance to industry partners on health and care priorities in the area and seek out the best examples of technology innovators able to support their delivery.
The agreement also sets out how the health technology industry will partner with Greater Manchester to create a world-leading site for developing treatments of the future; driving additional inward investment and supporting the continued growth of the region’s already-burgeoning health technology sector.
A number of new proposals which have the potential to improve care for people in Greater Manchester are already being discussed, including some projects that are already underway which will become formalised under the MoU.
For example, the team will look at new technological innovations to improve outcomes and patient experience for people with heart failure.
This promising project uses data from implanted medical devices, such as pacemakers, to alert clinicians of patients with worsening symptoms so that preventative action can be taken.
It also offers the opportunity to introduce a new home model of care that capitalises on technology to avoid patients having to spend time in hospital unnecessarily.
This partnership will connect medical device companies, diagnostic manufactures, and digitally-enabled technologies across the region so that evidence can be generated, and adoption is scaled at speed
Professor Ben Bridgewater, chief executive of Health Innovation Manchester, said: “HealthTech enables new approaches to the maintenance of wellness and the treatment of disease that allows commissioners, providers, and consumers alike to derive benefits.
“With its devolved health and social care system and emerging digital infrastructure, Greater Manchester is uniquely placed to work collaboratively with health technology pioneers to deploy proven innovation system-wide and at pace, realising benefits sooner.
“This Memorandum of Understanding represents yet another landmark for Greater Manchester which will ensure that the region achieves the best-possible outcomes from health technologies and secures the best value from its investments, both now and in the future.”
Jon Rouse, chief officer of the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, added: “Here in Greater Manchester we’re proud to do things differently and this Memorandum of Understanding is a great example of this.
“When we entered into devolution one of our core aims was to improve life expectancy and reduce health inequalities across the region, fostering partnerships with industry is crucial to achieving this.
“By working closely with our partners in the HealthTech industry we’re able to bring the latest innovations to the people of Greater Manchester, improving their health and wellbeing, as well as building the most-effective services possible.”
By working closely with our partners in the HealthTech industry we’re able to bring the latest innovations to the people of Greater Manchester, improving their health and wellbeing, as well as building the most-effective services possible
And Peter Ellingworth, chief executive of the ABHI, said: “Health Innovation Manchester has a critical role in accelerating the adoption of HealthTech to enable the local population to get the best and most-efficient healthcare possible.
“This partnership will connect medical device companies, diagnostic manufactures, and digitally-enabled technologies across the region so that evidence can be generated, and adoption is scaled at speed.”