techUK welcomes the publication of the Life Sciences Sector Plan

The Plan sets out key ambitions that techUK and its members have long advocated for, including the establishment of a national Health Data Research Service, reducing barriers to market entry through regulatory reform including for AI, and working to attract investment and support scaling for healthcare businesses in the UK.

Yesterday, the Government has published the Life Sciences Sector Plan.

techUK is pleased to see the commitment to delivery in the Plan, with clear timelines and structures for implementation and accountability; as well as the commitments to refresh existing structures, and to ensure that this Plan is implemented effectively in partnership with industry.

techUK looks forward to continuing to work with the Office for Life Sciences and its partners in delivering the implementation of the Plan and will support members to contribute to the implementation of the Plan.

To get involved in techUK’s Life Sciences Working Group, please email [email protected].

techUK welcomes the publication of the Life Sciences Sector Plan. We are pleased to see the commitment to establish a national Health Data Research Service, reduce barriers to market entry through regulatory reform including for AI, and improve access to health data for research. techUK and our members look forward to working with the Government and its partners to ensure the effective implementation of the actions laid out in this Plan.

Julian David

CEO of techUK

We are pleased to see an action-orientated plan to make the UK Life Science market a global powerhouse and maximise the unique strengths on offer from health data, genomics, research, skills, investment and innovation. The opportunity is now to address known challenges and techUK looks forward to working with the Senior Responsible Officers to deliver on the identified pillars and priority headline areas.

Nigel Brokenshire

Chair of the Life Sciences Working Group

The increasing convergence of life science and healthcare strategies can be seen in the overlap between the NHS 10 Year Plan and Life Sciences Sector Plan. This suggests a new era of joined up thinking and closer collaboration which will ultimately mean pioneering research and innovation getting to patients quicker. Genomics is a great example of this where the UK has been leading the research field for over a decade and is now seeing genomics being embedded in NHS clinical workflows, and driving its transformation into a more personalised and preventative healthcare system.

Alex Eavis

Vice Chair of the Life Sciences Working Group

Robert Walker

Head of Health & Social Care, techUK

Robert joined techUK in October 2022, where he is now Programme Manager for Health and Social Care.

Robert previously worked at the Pension Protection Fund, within the policy and public affairs team. Prior to this, he worked at the Scottish Parliament, advising politicians and industry stakeholders on a wide range of issues, including rural crime and health policies.

Robert has a degree in Politics and International Relations (MA Hons) from the University of Aberdeen, with a particular focus on strategic studies and energy security. Outside of work he enjoys activities such as running, rugby, boxing and cooking!

Email:: [email protected]

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Rachel Kennedy

Programme Manager Health and Social Care, techUK

Rachel joined techUK in December 2024, as a Programme Manager in the Health and Social Care team.

Prior to this, Rachel worked at a specialist health and social care public affairs agency, working with a range of organisations and trade bodies across the medical technology, pharmaceutical, digital health and social care sectors. As well as this, Rachel was part of the Secretariat for a number of health and care related All-Party Parliamentary Groups.

Rachel has a Masters in Global Governance and Diplomacy from the University of Leeds, as well as a first-class honours in Politics BA from Newcastle University.

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Health and Social Care Programme activities

techUK is helping its members navigate the complex space of digital health in the UK to ensure our NHS and social care sector is prepared for the challenges of the future. We help validate new ideas and build impactful strategies, ultimately ensuring that members are market-ready. Visit the programme page here.