All together better and stronger!

...enhancing standards and meeting the changing needs of the healthcare and assistive technologies industry...

The British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) is the UK's oldest and largest healthcare association (founded in 1917).

Its membership - of some 370 companies employing over 17,000 people - comprises both large and small businesses across the many non-pharmaceutical sectors of the healthcare industry, manufacturing, supplying and serving those with special physical needs and specialist healthcare areas, too. The products they make and supply are as varied as wheelchairs and scooters, stairlifts, seating and positioning products, patient support surfaces, rehabilitation products, stoma and continence products, aids and services for visually impaired people, and even prosthetics and orthotics.

The BHTA represents large and small companies, organised in one or more of 13 sections covering most sectors of the industry. This unique sectional structure provides a platform for all companies to have an effective voice within BHTA and, through the Association, to influence the development of healthcare policies in the UK. 

At the heart of our association is the Code of Practice, which sets out the standards that all members must meet to demonstrate best practice in their business dealings. The Code of Practice is recognised as the UK industry standard and means that member companies trade ethically and professionally. The Code has achieved Stage One of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) Consumer Codes Approval Scheme and we are providing evidence that the Code is working in practice to achieve their Stage Two approval.