Blog

In this blog, Doris-Ann examines the pandemic’s legacy of normalising diagnostic testing and how we should use this opportunity to be more health aware as a society.

Doris-Ann has provided a simple explainer to help companies better understand the NHS Innovation Service and how best to use it.

 Rare Disease Day is taking place today, Monday 28 February 2022, and is an important opportunity to support people living with rare or undiagnosed conditions, and to take stock of the UK’s progress in facilitating better diagnostic approaches, charity funding and legislation to improve outcomes. On Rare Disease Day, 106 countries worldwide host more than 600 events to draw attention to these conditions and patients. Around 300 million globally are living with rare or undiagnosed dise...

Introduction to the Infection Management Coalition White Paper  www.theIMC.org The Covid-19 pandemic has made people more conscious of their personal health than ever before and has created awareness of the devastating impact that infections can have. Indeed, those living with supressed immune systems may have already been far more aware of the fatal risks posed by infection. We have all now witnessed how our individual actions can impact the health of others, and how an infectious dis...

A new £53 million fund has been announced by the Government for UK manufacturing to boost their competitiveness by using digital technology. Projects to improve supply chains and new research centres are among the recipients of the investment and support. Investment Minister Lord Grimstone announced the new drive, which is to be awarded through the Made Smarter programme. Made Smarter is a collaboration between the Government and industry to “support the development and increase use ...

Health and care staff working on the frontline during the pandemic will be permitted to attend work rather than self-isolate with testing mitigations in exceptional circumstances under newly updated guidance. From this week., double vaccinated frontline NHS and social care staff will be allowed to work only after having a negative PCR test and also taking daily negative lateral flow tests for a minimum of seven days, and up to 10 days or completion of the identified self-isolation period.This me...

A new ‘mega-lab’ facility has been opened in Leamington Spa, England that will significantly expand the UK’s testing and genomic sequencing capacity for COVID-19. The new laboratory site is 225,000 square-feet and will be a key centre for processing COVID-19 tests and sequencing to protect the United Kingdom from variants of concern such as the Delta and Delta Plus strains of the virus. The laboratory is named the Rosalind Franklin Laboratory – a title to honour a scienti...

A new plan has been released which aims to make the United Kingdom a global leader in the innovation-focussed digital space. The government’s Plan for Digital Regulation aims to reduce red tape and cut down on cumbersome and confusing policy so businesses are freed to reflect on new ideas, grow their firms and create new jobs. Three guiding principles policymakers must follow are set out by the plan; actively promoting innovation, achieving ‘forward-looking and coherent outcomes&rsqu...

 Sustainability is a key issue of operational transformation the IVD sector must take heed of in light of the NHS Net Zero requirements, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the duty we share to conserve the environment. BIVDA will empower and facilitate member companies on their journey towards enhanced sustainability.  The launch of the BIVDA-funded Sustainability Training Programme offer to members takes place next Thursday 8th July! A dedicated web-page will include the progra...

According to internal documents seen by the Health Service Journal, NHS England is planning to identify health systems in need of “extensive” support to consolidate their procurement functions. These systems must upgrade their procurement functions to meet new operating standards. Local NHS procurement teams are now in the early stages of changing how they buy non-NHS goods and services, which value around £17 billion each year towards a more system-level working approach. The ...