Key takeaways
Article 2 expands inquest scope and duties
Investigations must explore systemic failings, not just cause of death.
Three grounds for engaging Article 2 explained
Custody deaths, systemic breaches, and operational failures trigger duties.
Broader conclusions and legal aid implications
Families gain funding; organisations face deeper scrutiny and risk.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is the biggest healthcare market in the Middle East and offers significant opportunities for UK healthtech businesses.
The scale of these opportunities was clear at this year’s Global Health conference in Riyadh, held at the end of October which partners from Hill Dickinson attended. The event was far larger this year than in previous years, with representation from all of the key national bodies and international businesses operating in KSA.
Who is organising healthcare and buying healthtech?
Whilst much of the recent focus has been on the ambitious NEOM project, the scale of opportunity across the KSA as a whole is significant.
Saudi Vision 2030 is creating a single national healthcare system with the current Ministry of Health separating into three new entities: the Ministry, which will act as regulator, the Centre for National Health Insurance (CNHI) which will become the eventual payor for healthcare by creating a national insurance programme, and Health Co (The Health Holding Company) which will act as the provider arm, running all existing public health assets and developing regional structures for the delivery of care.
Going forward, healthcare will be delivered through a number of accountable health organisations or ‘health clusters’ which will in time become fully autonomous, supported by organisations such as Lean Business Services, a government-owned company which acts as an enabler of digital healthcare innovation.
What are the areas of focus?
In many ways, the areas of focus in the KSA healthcare system are the same as those in the UK, as identified most recently by the government-commissioned report of Lord Darzi in September 2024. Conclusions in that report, particularly the need to shift care closer to people’s homes, including by offering integrated services, and to address the rise in patients with multiple long-term conditions.
It is also worth noting the interest across KSA in value-based healthcare, which was a significant focus of Global Health. It is an approach which prioritises delivery of outcomes which matter to patients through a focus on highest value rather than lowest price. It is relevant to the development of healthtech products and services in terms of both the design of products and services with a focus on patient-centric value/other non-financial value to the healthcare system, and the way in which those products and services are assessed through the procurement process.
As in the UK, technology has a major part to play in tackling these challenges. Solutions such as integrated electronic health records, remote patient monitoring and data-driven AI technologies are likely to be welcome, including where they can demonstrate how they will facilitate or deliver improved outcomes for patients under a value-based healthcare approach.
It is clear, however, that to take advantage of the opportunities, UK businesses need to highlight clearly what their offer is and how they can work in partnership with local organisations, including payors and providers (not least KSA’s homegrown digital ecosystem). As ever, building relationships and collaborative ways of working will be essential.
Hill Dickinson works closely with local law firm BLK Partners to provide legal support for UK businesses operating in KSA.
For further details on our health and social care expertise, please contact us or a member of our health and social care team.
