Published 3 October 2023
Last updated 12 October 2023 — See all updates
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Effective use of the latest medical technology can help cut
waiting lists, with the potential to speed up diagnoses and
improve care for patients
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Technology could include virtual wards to help care for
patients at home, or wearable devices to monitor chronic
conditions remotely - easing winter pressures and supporting
the workforce
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, , 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.
Notes to editors
The NHS Innovation Service is already helping the NHS find the
best new innovations and provides innovators with the resources,
tools and support they need to increase the chances of getting
their product or idea adopted by the NHS.
Applications are open and project delivery is expected this
financial year, getting benefits to patients as quickly as
possible.
