Overview
A step in the right direction Helen Dent – Chief Executive, British In Vitro Diagnostics Association
When a new Government enters office, industry representatives experience a mix of emotions, veering from excitement to concern, as we ask ourselves: what does this mean for us? In last year’s column, we anticipated a
shakeup of the NHS, prompted by the Health Secretary’s bold assertion that our health service was ‘broken’ almost as soon as he set foot into his new department. Fast forward to the end of 2025, and the Government has certainly been unafraid to shake things up, not least the abolition of NHS England. Its willingness to go where other governments haven’t has broadly benefitted the in vitro diagnostics industry. Diagnostics are central to the shifts in the
NHS’s 10 Year Plan; particularly the emphasis on prevention and community-based care. By getting more tests closer to patients’ homes, whether through Pharmacy First, Community Diagnostic Centres, or the newly-announced Neighbourhood Health Service, illnesses can be identified and treated earlier. This shift will particularly benefit patients who face barriers to accessing hospital-based services, such as the elderly or disabled, while improving NHS efficiency by reducing the need for costly acute interventions. Launched almost simultaneously, the Life
Sciences Sector Plan serves as a vital companion piece. It rightly recognises diagnostics as a critical pillar of the UK’s life sciences ecosystem and sets out measures to strengthen the pipeline of innovation and support its integration into the NHS. The move towards value- based procurement, which will take the downstream savings offered by
THE BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE INDUSTRY HANDBOOK 2026 l 11
diagnostics into account, rather than upfront cost, should remove a significant barrier.
Though positivity abounds, these plans, of
course, do not solve all ills. The struggle to achieve adoption and uptake of innovative diagnostics remains an enduring issue, along with regulatory barriers, contracting practices, and funding challenges. Over the next twelve months, success can only be measured by how the Government’s rhetoric is matched by action. Operationalising community diagnostics in an increasing number of sites with greater staffing levels and access to a larger variety of tests will be one key metric. The right diagnostics, in the right place, at the right time is the answer. With a Government prepared to both listen and act, we are quietly optimistic. BIVDA remains committed to working with it to make sure patients receive the measurable benefits which diagnostics offer and unlock the prevention-focused NHS which the Government is striving to achieve.
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