The UK is a market with over 65 million healthcare dependents. Annually the UK spends more than £140 billion (9% of GDP) on healthcare. To anticipate on a rapid aging population and rising health care costs the Public National Health Services (NHS) are reorganising the healthcare system.
This increases the need for innovative healthcare solutions, which improve the access, quality and affordability of care. NHS is the largest purchaser of Medical Equipment and on advocate annually spends approximately £ 20 billion on products and services. The NHS operates by decentralised purchasing organisations and frameworks to be able to purchase healthcare resources at national- and local level. Cities like Manchester have self-providence of healthcare budgets via ‘Devolution Deals’. Elderly- and Social Care is not yet provided by the NHS, however private providers cater this demand. The market share of private Hospitals is rapidly expanding in the last years, due to long waiting lists, bed blocking and limited options in home care. These and other developments offer more space and opportunities for foreign providers of healthcare solutions.
Therefore, from the 27nd until the 30th of March, the Task Force Health Care in cooperation with NBSO Manchester and the Dutch Embassy joined forces on a health mission to the United Kingdom (London, Birmingham, Manchester) for the Dutch Life Sciences & Health sector. A group of 10 healthcare organisations travelled to the United Kingdom to meet with the NHS and various other British healthcare organisations. Additionally, a visit to the NAIDEX the largest UK trade show dedicated to care, rehabilitation, lifestyle of people with a disability was arranged.
