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Collaboration outlines the strategic planning and delivery of independent and authoritative medical technology guidance.

A strategic partnership between the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and Health Technology Wales (HTW) will increase collaboration between the two agencies on planning and information sharing over the assessment of medical technologies.

The organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding which outlines their collaboration in the strategic planning and delivery of independent and authoritative medical technology guidance in England and Wales.

NICE and HTW carry out health technology assessments on medical device innovations to determine their safety, clinical and cost effectiveness. The agreement of the collaboration will increase co-operation between assessors in England and Wales.

Each piece of guidance takes into consideration the best available evidence, as well as input from patients, carers and clinicians. With a shared interest in improving patient access to effective non-medicine technologies and treatments, both organisations produce guidance to enable evidence-informed decision making by care providers.

Meindert Boysen, director of the centre for health technology evaluation at NICE, yesterday said: 

“NICE welcomes this agreement with Health Technology Wales which aims to improve the way both organisations collaborate and communicate in the important area of medical technologies.”

Chair of Health Technology Wales professor Peter Groves, who will remain as the chairman of NICE’s Medical Technologies Advisory Committee, added:

“We’re delighted to formalise our relationship with NICE. Our role in promoting the use of medical technologies that offer the most benefit for the people of Wales is shared by NICE. It’s timely that we collaborate to share resources and knowledge so that we can ensure the best possible outcomes from the work of both organisations in improving the health of people in Wales.”