When you talk to people about what work in the health sector looks like, most people would probably talk about jobs like doctors and nurses, but the increasing use of Technology in the sector is also giving rise to a range of new well-paid job opportunities.
That is why the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is working with a range of employers, health organisations and education bodies to launch a new MedTech Higher Technical Qualification to prepare people in the region to be able to fill these jobs and help fill skills gaps in high-demand, high-value jobs in the sector, covering roles like AI technicians, imaging or diagnostic specialists and regulatory advisors.
Stimulating growth in the health, medical devices, diagnostics and associated digital healthcare sector has been identified as a priority in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy the UK’s Life Sciences Sector Plan and the West Midlands Growth Plan.
The West Midlands is home a strong medical devices, diagnostics and digital healthcare sector, with the largest medical devices cluster in the UK comprising over 700 firms, employing over 14,000 people and generating a combined turnover of £6bn. In addition, key Life Science hubs like Birmingham Health Innovation Campus, Birmingham Knowledge Quarter, Arden Cross and West Midlands Health-Tech Accelerator stimulating the growth of this globally significant sector.
Eight reasons why the West Midlands is pioneering the future of healthcare technology
- A strong health and life science sector, with over 700 companies already based here
- The largest Medical devices cluster in the UK
- Nine world-leading universities producing over 60,000 graduates every year, with over 55% remaining in-region
- Access to an additional 127,000 graduates from 20 universities within one hours drive
- Home to four university-based medical schools at Aston, Birmingham, Warwick, and Wolverhampton, the region produces 11,000 medical science graduates every year.
- The region produces 87,840 STEM students (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics), 22,000 of which have skills aligned to healthcare and data-driven research
- Home to one of the UK’s largest and most diverse clinical trial environments
- A dynamic Life Science property offer, including Birmingham Health Innovation Campus, Birmingham Knowledge Quarter, Arden Cross
The wider Health & MedTech Ecosystem is also home to one of the UK’s largest and most distinctive environments for conducting clinical trials – with a diverse population of 2.9m; four university-based medical schools; 80 local hospitals and clinics; two of the UK’s Health Data Research hubs; and 35 regional centres of clinical research excellence. The region also attracts more Health & Life Sciences research funding than anywhere outside of the Oxford – Cambridge- London ‘Golden Triangle’.
These assets, together with key support organisations – like the West Midlands Health Technology Cluster (WMHTC), the West Midlands HealthTech Innovation Accelerator (WMHTIA); Health Innovation West Midlands (HIWM) and Medilink, ensure that the region has all the ingredients to start, and scale a Life Sciences, Health or MedTech business.
As well as its role in accelerating economic growth, advances in med-tech can also help achieve broader social outcomes for our residents. For example, the region has the highest infant mortality rate in the UK, one in twelve adults are diagnosed with diabetes, and the WMCA’s report on making the region an exemplar region for disabled people recommends implementing technology-based social care, to increase independence, reduce caseloads and save costs.
Maintaining and growing the Health and MedTech talent pool is fundamental to plugging skills gaps, supporting the sector to grow, supporting people into much-needed jobs and addressing health inequalities.
However, solving the skills challenge in the sector will require collective action by business; academia and education providers; and representatives from the NHS working together. This is why the WMCA, Pearson Qualifications, Skills England and the West Midlands Health and MedTech Cluster are now looking to work with a range of businesses and health organisations that are struggling to recruit the talent they need and rollout this new qualification.
If you are interested in finding out more about the qualification, click here to contact Abigail Philips at West Midlands Health Tech Cluster (WMHTC).
