Patients across the country will benefit from a £30 million government investment in innovative medical technology (medtech) which will help ease pressures on the NHS this winter and could include the expansion of 3D checks that speed up cancer tests and novel logistics solutions such as the use of drones.
Available to each region in England, ICSs – organisations that come together in local areas to deliver joined up health and social care services – can now bid for funding to invest in the latest technology that can help cut waiting lists, speed up diagnosis and deliver new and improved ways to treat patients.
Depending on local need, ICSs could use the funding to expand virtual wards, allowing more patients to receive the care they need at home, freeing up hospital beds. Over 9,800 virtual ward beds have already been created, and the NHS is on track to meet its target and deliver 10,000 ahead of winter.
ICSs could also invest in wearable medical devices for use by patients at home, to aid diagnosis and management of numerous chronic conditions – these devices allow the monitoring of vital signs such as blood oxygen levels, heartbeat and blood pressure. Alternatively, investing in digital 3D and other imaging technology could bolster diagnostic tests, supporting the NHS to detect and treat cancer and other serious illnesses earlier.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, said:
It is vital that clinicians have access to the latest technology to save staff time, deliver high quality care and help cut waiting lists – one of the government’s top 5 priorities.
This investment will see the latest tech innovations rolled out across the NHS. From virtual ward beds to wearable medical devices, patients will be better supported, and we will ease pressures on hospitals this winter.
We’re preparing for this winter earlier than ever before, including delivering thousands more hospital beds and hundreds of new ambulances.
NHS interim National Director of Transformation, Dr Vin Diwakar, said:
The NHS’s world-leading ability to adopt new technology has already helped more than 210,000 patients be treated in their own homes through the rollout of virtual wards, and this new funding will allow the health service to adopt more innovations that improve patient care and reduce pressure on wider services.
Local NHS areas known as integrated care systems can now submit bids to the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to access the funds so they can roll out the technology.
Earlier this year, the government published its medical technology strategy, which set out steps to ensure patients can access safe, effective and innovative technology through the NHS.
This builds on the £21 million artificial intelligence (AI) diagnostics fund, which aims to improve access to the latest AI technology to diagnose and treat patients more quickly. NHS trusts were invited to bid for funding to accelerate the rollout of the most promising AI imaging and decision support tools to help diagnose patients more quickly for conditions such as cancer, stroke and heart conditions.
The new funding comes on top of a series of other measures the government is taking to support the NHS this winter. In September, an additional £200 million was invested in the health service to boost resilience and help patients get the care they need as quickly as possible in the coming months. The Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Plan, announced in January, also committed to deliver 5,000 additional permanent, fully staffed hospital beds, 10,000 virtual ward beds and 800 new ambulances, backed by £1 billion.
