UK Medical Technology: A sector guide for Student Engineers and Recent Graduates

The UK medical technology (medtech) sector is a thriving and dynamic industry, contributing significantly to the national economy and global healthcare advancements. 

According to the latest UK government figures the sector has an annual turnover of £27.6 billion, employs around 138,000 professionals and includes more than 4,000 companies, ranging from innovative startups to large multinational corporations.

These companies are involved in a wide array of activities, including the development and manufacture of medical devices, diagnostics, digital health tools, and assistive technologies. The sector’s diversity provides numerous opportunities for engineers to work on groundbreaking solutions that improve patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency. Notable clusters of medtech activity can be found in regions like the "Golden Triangle" of London, Oxford, and Cambridge, as well as in the Midlands and North West England.

The medtech sector is shaped by several key trends that present both challenges and opportunities for innovation.

The UK’s ageing population drives demand for technologies that support older adults, such as wearable health monitors, home-based diagnostic tools, and assistive robotics. Solutions for managing chronic diseases like diabetes, arthritis, and cardiovascular conditions are particularly in demand.