Birmingham and Brunel Consortium was a collaboration between the University of Birmingham, Brunel University and Birmingham Health Partners. BBC-EAC was one of four External Assessment Centres (EAC) commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to review and critically evaluate clinical and economic evidence for the Medical Technology Evaluation Programme (MTEP). The other three centres were:
The Medical Technologies Evaluation Programme (MTEP) selects and evaluates innovative medical technologies (including devices and diagnostics). MTEP helps the NHS adopt efficient and cost effective medical devices and diagnostics more rapidly and consistently.
The types of products which might be evaluated are medical devices that deliver treatment such as those implanted during surgical procedures; technologies that give greater independence to patients; and diagnostic devices or tests used to detect or monitor medical conditions.
MTEP is overseen by the Medical Technologies Advisory Committee (MTAC) which selects medical devices and diagnostics for which NICE should produce guidance and routes the most appropriate programme.