News

British Expertise in a Global Market - Jenny Scott, UKIHMA General Manager

The past few months have undoubtedly proved challenging for everyone coping with the impact of COVID 19. Whether it has been frontline staff and supporting teams facing the daily reality of the virus or others learning to work and live in a very different world, it has certainly changed all our perspectives on how we approach international partnerships.

New joint venture with British Healthcare International

Within this context, UKIHMA has been undertaking a refresh of its strategy and focus for the future. Earlier this year, we wrote to all our members announcing the formation of an exciting new initiative. UKIHMA has joined forces with the highly respected Dorson Group to create a joint venture – British Healthcare International (BHI). The combining of specialist skills and knowledge of UKIHMA members, together with the expert skills of Dorson West, will create a highly effective partnership to promote British healthcare trade opportunities.

The Rt Hon Stephen Dorrell, Chair of BHI, said of the new partnership; “The launch of BHI at this time of great challenge for global healthcare presents new opportunities to share British expertise with international partners. I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to lead this partnership and I am confident that out of the current difficulties facing all health care systems, world leading innovations will emerge, radically changing the delivery of care for all.”

Special interest groups (SIGs)

We are establishing a series of Special Interest Groups (SIGs), each led by two named specialists. SIGs will drive forward action in their specific areas and will be fully involved in the opportunities process. All UKIHMA members are invited to join one or more groups according to their areas of interest. Each SIG will hold topic specific events throughout the year and will be a point of contact for their members to work through.

The SIGs currently in existence are shown here together with some potential new groups:

If you are interested in joining a SIG, please make contact with one of the relevant named leads.

World news

In each UKIHMA News edition, we will examine a current global issue that is challenging healthcare markets.

This week World Healthcare Journal Features Editor Fabian Sutch-Daggett reports on the launch of the WHO and Costa Rica landmark Covid-19 research group.

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS FEATURE

For more international news and features, please visit www.worldhealthcarejournal.com

Covid 19: The digitisation of healthcare

Members may have been aware of a recent WHJ webinar on the digitisation of healthcare with keynote speaker, Sarah Wilkinson, CEO at NHS Digital. This was a well-attended event and stimulated discussions on a range of current topics to help shape thinking in this area. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact Steve Gardner: steve.gardner@dorsonwest.com

Communications

As a member organisation, our most important stakeholders are our members themselves.

The breadth of the skills and expertise within our members is immense and harnessing those is crucial to our future success. Through our SIGs and refreshed opportunities process we aim to more fully engage our members in UKIHMA operations. We also recognise that effective and regular communication will be key in empowering all involved. We will therefore be undertaking the communications and engagement activities as shown throughout the year.

UKIHMA Members Forum Events

We held the first of our new virtual Members Forum webinars on Wednesday 27th May 2020. This was well attended and resulted in a number of interesting discussions. We provided members with an update on our strategic direction, the BHI, our refreshed opportunities process and our SIGs, followed by a Q&A session. Key issues raised included the potential for developing a British Healthcare COVID response proposal, securing a better understanding of the market for private patient services and the growing importance of integrated digital solutions in the global healthcare market.

Our next Members Forum will take place on 7 July with guest speaker Lord Nigel Crisp. 

Lord Crisp is an independent crossbench member of the House of Lords where he co-chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health. He co-chairs Nursing Now, the global campaign on nursing. Chief Executive of the NHS in England from 2000-2006, he now works and writes extensively on global health with a focus on Africa.

The webinar will take place via Zoom from 8-9am, chaired by Rt Hon Stephen Dorrell.  It is in conjunction with Public Policy Projects and World Healthcare Journal. An invitation will follow shortly to all members.

Other key events for your diary are outlined below:

Noel Gordon 23 June – UK Excellence in Digital Healthcare and its Export Potential

8-9am via Zoom in conjunction with PPP, WHJ and Tech4CV19. Invitation to follow.

Noel is Chairman of the NHS Digital Board, as well as Chair of the Talent, Remuneration and Management Committee. He is also non-executive director of NHS England and Chair of Healthcare UK’s Advisory Board.

World Economic Series webinars:

25 June, 8.30-9.30am – Opening webinar with The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of London (Alderman William Russell) and H.E. Mr Khaled Al Duwaisan GCVO (Ambassador of Kuwait and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps).

1 July, 8.30-9.30am – Japan – H.E. Mr Yasamusa Nagamine (Ambassador of Japan) and Mr Ota (Special Advisor to the Government of Japan on Digital Strategy – appointed from the private sector).

For the foreseeable future, all these webinars will be held as a one hour Zoom call and the invitation will be extended to our friends and colleagues across the sector including Healthcare UK and the Department for International Trade (DIT).