Chris Whitehouse, a political consultant and expert on medical technology policy and regulation at Whitehouse Communications, regrets the resignation of Dr Zubir Ahmed, government minister responsible for MedTech.
The Government minister responsible for medical technology and innovation, Dr Zubir Ahmed MP, has resigned his post. He is one of several ministers who have resigned in protest at Sir Keir Starmer’s refusal to step down as Labour Leader and Prime Minister following last week’s disastrous election results for Labour which saw the party lose nearly one and a half thousand councillors and control of the Welsh Senedd, and the return to control in Scotland of the Scottish National Party.
The resignation of Dr Ahmed, who is also a practising cardiac surgeon, risks delaying the introduction of the Department of Health and Social Care’s new value-based procurement (VBP) methodology which he was due to launch in June.
Dr Ahmed set out his reasons for resignation in a letter to the Prime Minister which he posted on X, in which he implored Keir Starmer in “national unity to step aside and set a timetable for an expedient and orderly transition to a new leadership that commands the confidence of our country”.
His departure is a real loss to the MedTech sector given his real, hands-on experience as a surgeon and his commitment to supporting innovation and the adoption of VBP.
The Author used AI in preparing this article. Comments upon or questions about this article can be addressed to chris.whitehouse@whitehousecomms.com.
