Ventilator Challenge: Provision of Rapid Manufacture Ventilator Systems (RMVS)

The 'Ventilator Challenge' was created by the UK government and delivered across several government departments (Department of Health and Social Care, Cabinet Office and Ministry of Defence) as part of the drive to increase ventilator supply and support the UK National Health Service (NHS) in its response to the Coronavirus disease global pandemic (COVID-19). In March, the Prime Minister called on manufacturers to help the UK to step up production of ventilators to support the UK's response to the virus and save lives. This included working on new or adapted ventilator designs, as well the Government's work to buy ventilators from abroad. The 'Rapid Manufacture Ventilator Systems (RMVS) programme' is a workstream within the Ventilator Challenge progressing novel and modified designs for ventilator devices, manufactured on a rapid basis to ensure sufficient capacity within the NHS. Cabinet Office, who are running the RMVS programme on behalf of the UK government, engaged with a wide range of suppliers, including designers, manufacturers and component suppliers, to progress a number of ventilator models (by taking forward existing designs through licencing agreements and by developing new products based on existing products and based on new original designs) resulting in the manufacturer of ventilators to meet the identified need.