Insights from our engagement event: The safe and trusted use of human tissue

On 20 September, we welcomed representatives from each sector we regulate to our London office for an engaging day of discussion and networking. This event brought together our board, senior management team, and sector colleagues to share insights, challenges, and future plans.

The day began with a presentation of highlights from our new strategy and annual review 2023-24, and included a look at our regulatory approach. However, the heart of the event was the roundtable discussions, where we had the opportunity to hear directly from attendees about the challenges faced and their insights into our work.

Themes from discussions:

1. We heard concerns about the complexities surrounding consent, particularly for historical collections and imported materials.
2. Clarification on the roles of Designated Individuals (DIs) and standardisation of Independent Assessor (IA) roles across the country were highlighted as important areas.
3. There was interest in fostering more collaboration between regulatory bodies and creating or supporting DI networking opportunities.
4. Discussions touched on the impact of AI and new technologies in the sector, with some expressing both excitement and concerns about their implementation.
5. And there were some reflections on pressure and resource challenges in some sectors.

Next steps

The insights gained from this event are helpful, but we appreciate that those who attended represent a fraction of the establishments we license. To ensure we're capturing a wider set of views, we've created a survey.

We encourage all licensed establishments to participate in this survey. Your responses will help us understand how representative the feedback we received at the event is of the wider group, and potentially highlight additional areas of work we should consider.

The survey covers a range of topics, including:

• Your top priorities for improvement in HTA regulation and guidance
• Preferred methods and frequency of engagement with the HTA
• Interest in networking opportunities within your sector
• Clarity of DI responsibilities and areas needing more guidance
• Challenges faced with consent processes
• Your perception of HTA's collaboration with other regulatory bodies
• How well HTA standards accommodate different faith groups and EDI considerations
• Your establishment's use or planned use of innovative and AI technologies

This is your opportunity to directly influence our future work and ensure that we're addressing the most pressing needs of the sector.

We look forward to sharing the results of this survey and our plans for addressing the insights gained in the coming months.

Thank you to everyone who attended our event, and to all who will take the time to complete the survey. Together, we can continue to improve and innovate in the vital work of human tissue regulation.

Jonathan Spencer, Head of Communication and Engagement