Joint aims include:

• Ensuring HTA in Scotland is ‘fit for purpose’ leading to more impactful HTA outcomes
• Promoting use of evidence-based technologies
• Utilising industry expertise and data
• Encouraging expansion of the Life Sciences sector in Scotland, and
• Maintaining the impartiality of SHTG's work, so that our advice is independent of stakeholders' interests. 

SHTG's MedTech Forum

SHTG’s MedTech Forum seeks develop closer interaction between SHTG, the healthcare industry, life sciences, procurement, Scottish Government, and academia. Objectives for the group include:

• coordination between partners to identify technologies and areas of interest to NHS Scotland;
• sharing of knowledge and consider latest trends in use and interest in health technologies with key stakeholders;
• identification of areas to develop and improve the SHTG HTA process to optimise stakeholder engagement and relevance of SHTGs outputs.

SHTG is consulting with industry stakeholders on how its processes could be more robust and inclusive for industry.  Broad categories emerged across the specific industry requests.  For example, to aid transparency it was agreed that SHTG process documents should be made available on-line, and public meeting dates must be visible in advance.   To improve HTA ‘inputs’, industry should be given the opportunity to submit data for assessment, and must be provided opportunity to comment on draft reviews. 

SHTG is in the process of working with industry to develop an SHTG ‘industry engagement guide’ which will set out the key areas when and how industry can collaborate within the HTA process.