About the programme

As one of the 15 Health Innovation Networks, we work with NHS England and NHS Improvement’s Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) to deliver the MedTech Funding Mandate (MTFM) policy. The policy aims to accelerate equitable patient access to NICE recommended devices, diagnostics or digital products that deliver benefits to the NHS and its patients; are cost saving in year; and affordable to the NHS.  This is achieved by mandating commissioners to fund MTFM technologies where clinically appropriate.

Launched on 1^st April 2021, the policy will enter its fourth year of implementation on 1^st April 2024. The policy document contains guidance for NHS commissioners and providers of NHS-funded care.

Devices, diagnostics or digital products that wish to be included on the mandate go through a robust shortlisting and selection process, and to be successful, technologies must meet the following criteria and demonstrate that they are:

• Effective: demonstrated through positive NICE Medical Technologies Guidance (MTG) or Diagnostic Guidance (DG)
• Cost-saving within three years: NICE modelling demonstrates a net saving in the first three years of implementing the technology
• Affordable to the NHS: the cost should not exceed £20 million in any of the first three years

Four technologies were introduced to the MTFM in 2021/22 (listed below) and these will remain on the MTFM as long as they meet the inclusion criteria outlined above.

The technologies introduced to the policy in 2021/22 were:

1. Placental growth factor based testing (PlGF) – a blood test to rule out pre-eclampsia in pregnant women [DG23]
2. SecurAcath – for securing percutaneous catheters [MTG34]
3. HeartFlow – creates a 3D model of a patient’s coronary arteries and assesses the extent and location of blockages [MTG32]
4. gammaCore – a handheld device which alleviates the symptoms of severe cluster headaches [MTG46]

There are now seven more technologies added to the MTFM for 2022/23, split into two categories:

A. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH):

1. 1. UroLift – lifts and holds the enlarged prostate tissue away from the urethra, relieving the compression of this organ [MTG58]
   2. Rezum – minimally invasive procedure that uses water vapour (steam) to treat BPH [MTG49]
   3. PLAMSA system – bipolar electrosurgery system for transurethral resection and haemostasis of the prostate [MTG53]
   4. GreenLight XPS – vaporises and coagulates prostatic tissue with a laser [MTG29]

B. Improving the patient experience during procedures:

1. Thopaz+ – a portable, digital chest drainage and monitoring system [MTG37]
2. XprESS multi-sinus dilation system – a sterile, single-use device for treating chronic sinusitis [MTG30]
3. Spectra Optia – an apheresis and cell collection platform for the treatment of sickle cell disease [MTG28]

The NHS AAC team will regularly review NICE MTG and DG to identify medical devices, diagnostics and digital products which have been recommended by NICE and are likely to meet the MTFM criteria in the following year, and highlight these to providers and commissioners.

The role of the 15 Academic Health Science Networks (Health Innovation Network) is to support NHS providers to implement these mandated technologies within their regions. Some Health Innovation Networks also take on a national lead role with a technology and the responsibility to understand national implementation levels and potential barriers to adoption.

HIWM is the National Lead for Thopaz+.

The AAC expects hospitals and commissioning organisations to comply with the policy guidance where appropriate. The Health Innovation Network delivery partners will work closely with commissioners, providers, clinicians, patient groups and others, to understand the impact of the policy and support its development.

Find out more

Click on the links below to find further information on each product relating to the MTFM.

Watch the 2022/23 launch webinar on the FutureNHS website.