A strategic partnership to support the future of UK healthcare with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL)

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and IPEM are pleased to announce a new strategic partnership, bringing together two organisations with a shared commitment to advancing healthcare through science, engineering, measurement excellence and professional leadership.

The partnership comes at a pivotal time for the NHS, as delivery of the NHS 10 Year Plan places increasing emphasis on innovation, productivity, prevention and the development of a sustainable, highly skilled workforce. Both organisations recognise the critical role that healthcare scientists, clinical engineers and medical physicists play in delivering safe, effective and high-quality patient care, and the need to strengthen recognition, development and support for these professions.

Importantly, the partnership brings together two distinct but highly complementary perspectives. As the UK's National Metrology Institute, NPL provides the metrology and standards that underpin research, innovation and the translation of new technologies into clinical practice. IPEM's focus is on driving impact across healthcare – advancing professional practice, strengthening the workforce and supporting our members to lead, innovate and shape the future of their professions.

By combining their strengths, NPL and IPEM aim to support better patient outcomes, enable evidence-based healthcare innovation, and help ensure that the NHS workforce has the skills, confidence and recognition required to meet the challenges and opportunities of the decade ahead.

A first practical demonstration of the partnership will be NPL's sponsorship of IPEM's annual Science, Technology and Engineering Forum (STEF) Conference. This provides an early opportunity to bring our organisations and communities together and begin turning the partnership's ambitions into practical collaboration.

Join us at STEF, 12-13 October