New scheme aims to improve medical device safety across the NHS

A new initiative to promote better use of technology for monitoring medical devices aims to improve patient safety. 

Launching this month, a clinically-led partnership will see the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme working with other NHS organisations to encourage good practice.

A new Medical Device Safety Programme (MDSP) has been established to:

• accelerate the adoption of digital technology to improve the tracking and monitoring of medical devices in real time
• establish a new information system/infrastructure to collect, link and analyse outcomes by procedure. This includes details of any medical devices or implants used, and the clinicians involved
•  analyse outcomes data to drive improvements in patient care and safety.

Much of the work began before the publication of last year’s report First Do No Harm  from the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review, led by Baroness Cumberlege.

Now the new MDSP will help address the review’s recommendations around collecting the right data for monitoring the safety of medical devices and establishing outcome registries.

GIRFT will lead on developing outcome registries for all relevant specialties, using data from the Medical Devices Information System (hosted by NHS Digital) and Scan4Safety. 

The work will build on the experience of organisations like the National Joint Registry (NJR), the Orthopaedic Device Evaluation Panel (ODEP) and Beyond Compliance in orthopaedics, which have already demonstrated the ability to avoid patient harm, improve outcomes and reduce re-intervention.

Future innovation

Working across the NHS and the medical device industry, MDSP aims to drive patient safety, as well as supporting novel procedures and future innovation.

Professor Tim Briggs, GIRFT chair, NHS National Director of Clinical Improvement, and senior clinical advisor to the MDSP said:

 “GIRFT has long highlighted the need for improved, patient-centred, clinician-led device surveillance, and has made great strides in achieving this for orthopaedics. Now we want to see those results across other specialties.

“It is crucial that patients have the assurances they need that they’re being treated with the best and safest medical devices available, for clinicians to have actionable data to provide assurance and make improvements, and for companies to have real-world data to optimise innovation.”

GIRFT will be launching the MDSP with a lunchtime webinar on 27th January. Click here to register

Speakers include:

* Professor Tim Briggs: GIRFT chair, NHS national director of clinical improvement, and senior clinical advisor to the MDSP

* Scott Pryde: GIRFT senior advisor for medical device safety

* Sarah Clarke and Simon Ray: GIRFT cardiology clinical leads

* Mike Hutton: GIRFT spinal surgery clinical lead

* Representatives from national registries.