Preparing the workforce for point of care advanced therapies

The delivery of advanced therapies is entering a period of rapid transformation. New regulatory frameworks, emerging manufacturing technologies and growing demand for personalised treatments are accelerating a shift towards decentralised, point of care (PoC) manufacturing models within the NHS. While this transition offers significant benefits for patients, it also presents a substantial workforce challenge.

This report, Increase the application of advanced therapeutics by adopting modular and point of care manufacturing, sets out the findings of aWorkforce Foresighting cycle sponsored by the Advanced Therapy Treatment Centre (ATTC) Network and delivered by the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult, in collaboration with the Workforce Foresighting Hub, an Innovate UK initiative.

Why workforce foresighting matters

Workforce foresighting is a proactive, data driven approach to understanding how emerging technologies and policy changes will reshape workforce requirements. Rather than responding reactively to skills shortages, foresighting identifies future organisational capabilities, evolving roles and training gaps early — allowing industry, educators and policymakers to act in time.

In this cycle, the focus was on understanding what capabilities and skills the workforce will need to support hub and spoke models of decentralised manufacturing, where advanced therapies are produced closer to patients, often within hospital environments. This model is supported by the MHRA’s 2025 regulations on modular manufacture and point of care production, which provide a clear signal that change is coming.

Key findings

The foresighting cycle highlights that successful adoption of PoC manufacturing will require significant evolution in workforce capabilities across industry and the NHS.

Key themes include:

• Increased demand for digital, automation and data enabled capabilities, particularly to support real time monitoring, batch release and quality assurance.
• Stronger and more consistent governance, GMP compliance and regulatory oversight across hub and spoke sites.
• New expectations on NHS roles that traditionally sit outside manufacturing, requiring closer integration between clinical, pharmacy, engineering and quality teams.
• A growing need for interoperable digital systems to support traceability, training, audits and cross site coordination.

The research also identifies Future Occupational Profiles (FOPs) that are likely to change most significantly, and maps these against current education and training provision. This analysis shows that many priority capabilities are not well served by existing standards, reinforcing the need for targeted upskilling and curriculum adaptation.

What happens next

The report makes clear that action is now required. Recommended next steps include:

• Prioritising early capability needs and mapping gaps against current NHS and industry roles.
• Raising strategic awareness among senior clinical, pharmacy and operational leaders.
• Developing short, targeted training programmes to support upskilling of existing staff.
• Strengthening collaboration between industry, NHS organisations and educators to ensure provision keeps pace with technological change.
• Remaining adaptive as technologies and regulatory expectations continue to evolve.

By taking a coordinated, foresighted approach, the sector can ensure the workforce is ready to safely and effectively deliver point of care advanced therapies — unlocking their full potential for patients and the UK life sciences ecosystem.