Medtech showcase highlights the importance of working together

HSV Chief Executive Susan Delroi joined local medtech manufacturers and advocates at the Australian Medtech Manufacturing Alliance (AMMA) 2025 Medtech Showcase to discuss the challenges and opportunities to commercialise locally-made medical products.

Professor Ian Meredith AM, director of MTP Connect – an independent, not-for-profit that champions Australia’s life sciences sector – highlighted the transformative potential of closer collaboration between health services and industry.

He noted that in 2022-23 Australia spent $179 billion on health goods and services and that more than 95 per cent of the medical products used in Australia’s health system are imported.

Professor Meredith said that to reduce reliance on imported medical products, Australia must commercialise medtech innovation through coordinated, collaborative efforts across sectors.

Susan reinforced the importance of joining with health services and suppliers to drive improvements in the patient experience.

“As a statewide, centralised and growing organisation that works to deliver cost reduction and other benefits to our health service customers, we are on track to be the biggest purchaser of medical consumables for the 70,000 employees in Victoria’s public health system,” she said.

“Our role is to operate at scale and work to benefit our health service customers – it’s our mission to enable them to deliver better patient outcomes,” said Susan.

“That doesn't take away from local suppliers being critically important to the health services, especially in regional and rural Victoria.”

Susan encouraged suppliers to build close relationships with their local health services and understand their needs, particularly those items that HSV isn’t currently procuring. She noted that local health services may buy individually or through clusters, so there is opportunity to engage at different points in the health sector.

“Health service priorities of product and service suitability, cost reduction and supply chain surety align with our focus of ‘right product, right place, right time and right price’ which reflects what’s important to our customers.”

“Fit for purpose products are a key priority for the public health sector, and local jobs and environmental, social and governance objectives are also important to them. Suppliers are an end-to-end partner in that goal by making sure their product or service is suitable, it’s priced appropriately and can be provided on an ongoing basis and/or at scale,” Susan said.

“From 2026-27, we intend to prepare and publish a Strategic Procurement Plan to indicate the types and timing of activities we will bring to market. These activities are identified with health service input and reflect their individual requirements.

Between the procurement undertaken by HSV and through more local levels, I am confident that the market can accommodate both local suppliers and those that operate at a more global level,” Susan said.

Joining Susan at the event were members of HSV’s Procurement and Clinical Products teams to hear from various speakers and suppliers via lightning pitches, exhibitor showcases and roundtable discussions which fostered conversations on how local medtech innovations can improve patient outcomes, strengthen supply chains and deliver greater value for Victoria’s health system.

The AMMA 2025 Medtech Showcase was delivered in partnership with BioMelbourne Network and MTPConnect, with support from the Victorian Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions.

Image above (L to R): CEO BioMelbourne Network Karen Parr, MTPConnect Board Chair the Hon. Jaala Pulford, HSV Chief Executive Susan Delroi, MTPConnect Board member Professor Ian Meredith AM, MTPConnect COO Lisa Dubé.