Press release: Government export support to help NHS profit by sharing expertise

The NHS will be ready to target up to £7 billion of opportunities a year over the next decade with its world-leading healthcare expertise, thanks to a new government support service.

The Healthcare UK Export Catalyst is set to help the NHS – the world’s largest integrated health system – to access global healthcare export opportunities, with worldwide spend in the sector growing at 7% a year.

Healthcare UK has already supported NHS organisations to win export business of more than £100 million over the last 2 years.

The catalyst sets out to boost this further, and comes as the result of a pilot with NHS organisations to identify the services that would best suit them as they embark upon their export journey. The service will provide continued support, right through to finding opportunities and winning contracts.

These services include personalised support for individual NHS organisations, training courses, peer-to-peer support, online resources and contacts with the governments vast network of overseas posts.

Sir Malcolm Grant, Chairman of NHS England, said:

In my view Healthcare UK have done a great job already in raising the profile of UK healthcare services and systems overseas. Their new Export Catalyst service will further enhance the service available to NHS Trusts in developing their export capabilities, so they can reach a wide range of international markets.

In the next year, the mission will be closely focused on providing a showcase for great British healthcare services, building a strong brand across the globe and realising the amazing export potential of our world-class health system.

The announcement comes a fortnight after the Department for International Trade launched the government’s new Export Strategy, which sets an ambition to increase exports as a percentage of GDP from 30% to 35%.

NHS organisations will have tailored export support in addition to local trade advisors and DIT’s network of HM Trade Commissioners to help them boost their overseas success.

As the NHS marks it’s 70th birthday, the UK is at the forefront of research and innovation across life sciences, healthcare, medical devices and digital technologies. Our world-renowned service is rated as the number one best integrated healthcare system in the world.

In total, Healthcare UK achieved over £700 million of export wins last year, supporting more than 100 exports projects for private and public UK suppliers across 17 countries, and delivering successful outward missions to India, China and the Middle East.