New qualifications in MedTech to tackle 145,000 skills shortage and ease NHS pressures 

Skills England has announced two new Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) to help tackle the UK’s MedTech skills shortage. They were developed through an innovative partnership between government, via Skills England; lifelong learning company, Pearson; the West Midlands Combined Authority; and employers across that region, which is a MedTech powerhouse with over 700 businesses. 

On 12 December 2025, Minister for Skills, Baroness Jacqui Smith visited the Precision Health Technologies Accelerator (PHTA), the University of Birmingham’s flagship life sciences innovation facility, based at No.1 Birmingham Health Innovation Campus, to make the announcement. She said, “MedTech is transforming healthcare and these new qualifications will make sure people have the skills they need for the jobs of the future. I’m proud to see the West Midlands leading the way – working directly with employers to deliver opportunities that meet real business needs. By closing critical skills gaps, we’re not only opening careers for thousands of people – we’re helping the NHS cut waiting lists and deliver better care through innovation.”  

The qualifications are being launched in the wake of the government calling for more cutting-edge medical technology in the NHS to boost productivity and help cut waiting lists. The Association of British HealthTech Industries has estimated that an extra 70,000 jobs will be needed by 2035 to meet demand across the sector, alongside 75,000 replacements for those leaving the workforce. 

Tim Jones, Chief Officer at Health Innovation West Midlands, based at the Birmingham Health Innovation Campus, said: “We welcome this initiative which supports the government’s Industrial Strategy, the Life Science Sector Plan and the West Midlands Growth Plan. The West Midlands now boasts the UK’s largest medical devices cluster, with more than 700 firms, 14,000 employees, and a £6 billion turnover, so is the ideal place to launch this project and drive innovation in the region. These new qualifications will also make a real difference to the NHS and the wider life science sector – by building a skilled MedTech workforce, we can accelerate the adoption of technologies that cut waiting times, improve diagnostics and enhance patient care.”   

Read the Skills England press release here.