The UK trade association for in vitro diagnostics (IVD) companies BIVDA has welcomed the NHS Medtech Funding Mandate, a new policy aimed at accelerating the uptake of medical devices, diagnostics and digital products in the NHS.

The new Mandate, which will come into effect from 1 April 2020, will aim to enable patients to access ‘pioneering’ IVD devices faster and with greater ease.

For products to qualify under the Mandate, they must demonstrate that they are effective, deliver material savings to the NHS, are cost-saving in-year and are affordable to the NHS.

The Mandate policy is set to be published annually in December, following a review and feedback improvement cycle.

A list of technologies that meet the MedTech Funding Mandate criteria is expected to be published before the end of July.

“The publication of the Mandate is an opportunity to celebrate the UK as a leader in technologies for health and care,” said Doris-Ann Williams, chief executive of BIVDA.

“This new system will allow pioneering IVD devices a faster and easier route to market, that is to patients, while helping the NHS make cost-effective decisions on high quality care.

“We will be working closely with NHS partners as the Mandate rolls out to ensure more pioneering IVD tests are included,” she added.