Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 4 May 2025.

Cancer 360 brings patient data into one central system, so clinicians can prioritise those most in need and see patients quicker.

• Millions of patients to receive faster cancer diagnosis, helping slash treatment delays as groundbreaking new tech rolled out on NHS as part of major reform to health service
• For first time, all NHS trusts will have access to technology that brings key patient information together so medical teams can easily spot those in need of urgent attention
• The £2bn tech investment from the Autumn Budget will drive essential reforms, freeing up staff time and saving lives, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change

Millions of cancer patients will receive a faster diagnosis, helping cut treatment delays and boost survival rates as the government rolls out pioneering new technology across the NHS through the Plan for Change.

Currently, there are over 2 million people living with cancer, many of whom face a complex journey of tests, appointments or treatments. But a trailblazing new tool – dubbed Cancer 360 – brings all that data into one central system, so clinicians can prioritise those most in need and see patients quicker – with the technology set to benefit millions over the next 5-10 years.

This government inherited a broken NHS. Lord Ara Darzi’s independent investigation found the NHS in ‘critical condition’ – with surging waiting lists and deteriorating national health – and set out the need to improve cancer waiting time performance and cancer survival.

Cancer 360 represents the crucial reform that must accompany investment, shifting the NHS from analogue to digital, by creating a simple dashboard showing clinicians all the information they need about their patients in one place. Instead of having to gather vital information about each cancer patient from various systems, spreadsheets, emails, and records.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

This government grasped the nettle and made difficult but necessary choices to invest £26 billion into our NHS – a move that is already helping millions of patients and will help millions more.

It’s a long road, but we’re already getting our NHS back on its feet, giving patients over 3 million more appointments, hiring 1,500 new GPs and starting the roll out of new tech that will save lives.

It is only this government’s Plan for Change that will deliver for patients and make our NHS fit for the future.

The real-time tool will help teams to easily track a patient’s progress, avert delays, and even produce personalised treatment plans. It will dramatically reduce paperwork and help ensure vital warning signs aren’t missed.

Cancer 360 is a prime example of the government’s commitment to reform – doing things differently by harnessing digital innovation to improve patient outcomes.

Following recent expansion of the NHS App, which has already stopped 1.5 million hospital appointments being missed and saved 5.7 million staff hours since July 2024, Cancer 360 demonstrates how we are continuing to drive the NHS from analogue to digital, giving patients better care and more control over their healthcare journey.

The investment comes from the Autumn Budget – where the government made difficult but necessary choices to put £26 billion in our NHS. This includes the biggest increase in NHS spending since 2010, excluding COVID-19 years – including £1 billion for digital transformation projects and £121 million for the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP). While this investment is crucial, it’s the reforms in how we use these resources that will truly transform cancer care.

The new tool is built into the FDP, which brings patient information together from across separate systems into one safe and secure environment. Since April 2024, hospitals using the platform have typically performed 70,000 more procedures and reduced unnecessary hospital stays by almost 19% – treating more patients and freeing up valuable bed space.

Suraiya Abdi, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Chelsea and Westminster Foundation Trust said:

The implementation of Cancer 360 has enabled my team to monitor and safely carry our patients through their cancer pathway.

The tool enables us to have in-depth conversations at our weekly meetings regarding a patient’s next step as well as allowing us to escalate queries directly to other teams for faster turnaround.

The tool has reduced the amount of admin time spent by our cancer team therefore enabling them to focus on the patient journey. I have witnessed an improvement in performance, team spirit and most importantly patient experience.

The government’s National Cancer Plan will transform the way we approach this disease, improving care and bringing this country’s cancer survival rates back up to the standards of the best in the world.

Through the Plan for Change, the government is driving forward work to develop innovative treatments and technologies for patients. Last month the Prime Minister announced plans for a new health data research service, to transform access to NHS data so clinical trials can be fast-tracked to accelerate the development of the medicines and therapies of the future, in turn helping boost the UK’s world leading life sciences sector and drive growth.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence also recently announced thousands of cancer patients will benefit from new artificial intelligence which detects skin cancer. In addition, it was confirmed that the NHS will become the first health system in Europe to offer a new injectable form of nivolumab – one of the most widely used cancer treatments in England.

This forms part of the government’s wider ambitions to cut waiting lists under its Plan for Change. With a total of 3 million additional appointments already delivered 6 months early, the government is exceeding its own targets and driving down waiting lists at pace, which have fallen for 6 months in a row and by 219,000 since July 2024 – evidence that reform and investment together can deliver real results for patients.

Notes to editors

• Cancer 360, soon to be rolled out across all NHS trusts, demonstrates the shift from analogue to digital processes which is central to the government’s plans to reform the NHS.
• For patients, this means faster diagnoses, reduced waiting times, and more coordinated care throughout their cancer journey. It follows successful pilots at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and Royal United Hospital Bath.

Dr Vin Diwakar, NHS National Clinical Transformation Director, said:

Every cancer patient deserves swift, effective care, and our new Cancer 360 solution harnesses data to ensure exactly that. By giving clinicians a comprehensive view of patient pathways, we can identify and address delays immediately.

The NHS Federated Data Platform is already showing its value in transforming cancer care, helping our hard-working staff deliver better outcomes while reducing administrative burden. As Cancer 360 expands to more hospitals nationwide, I’m confident we’ll see meaningful improvements in both treatment times and patient experience.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

I’ve seen first-hand the stress and heartbreak that cancer causes in my own family.

Dependent on archaic pen-and-paper systems, life-saving diagnostics appointments hung on whether a post-it note lost its stick, or a piece of paper went missing. That put lives at risk, and with the technology we have today, there’s no reason for any part of our healthcare service to run in such a way.

Simply by keeping accurate records, the technology we are putting to work today will cut waiting times and save lives, delivering on our Plan for Change. That way, people can once again trust that their local hospital has the tools it needs to focus on what matters – treating their loved ones and keeping families together for longer.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 28 April 2025.

Millions of patients are getting a cost of living boost as the government freezes prescription charges for the first time in three years.

• NHS prescription charges in England will be frozen for the first time in three years, keeping the cost of a prescription below a tenner.
• The decision means £18 million saving to help with cost of living for millions who regularly pay for prescriptions as the government delivers security for working people through its Plan for Change.
• Freeze comes weeks after this government agreed record investment for community pharmacies to fund local services for patients.

Millions of people across the country will see the cost of their prescriptions frozen for the first time in three years from today – as the government puts money back into the pockets of working people as it delivers on the Plan for Change.

The move will save patients around £18 million next year – keeping prescriptions under the cost of a tenner, at £9.90 for a single charge. Those who are already exempt from paying their prescription will continue to be so.

Three month and annual prescriptions prepayment certificates will also be frozen for 2025/26.

Annual charges can be made in instalments meaning those requiring regular medicines will be able to get them for just over £2 a week.

The prescription charge freeze builds on wider government action to tackle the cost of living crisis, including the rollout of free breakfast clubs, expanded childcare through 300 new school-based nurseries, lowering the cost of school uniforms, and extending the fuel duty freeze – all aimed at easing financial pressures on families across the country.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, said:

This government’s Plan for Change will always put working people first, and our moves today to freeze prescription charges will put money back into the pockets of millions of patients.

Fixing our NHS will be a long road – but by working closer with our pharmacies we’re saving money and shifting care to the community where it’s closer to your home.

We made the difficult but necessary choices at the Budget to fund moves like this and change our NHS so it can once again be there for you when you need it.

The announcement follows news last month of the government agreeing funding with Community Pharmacy England worth an extra £617 million over 2 years.

And the investment comes alongside reforms to deliver a raft of patient benefits, as part of the government’s agenda to shift the focus of care from hospitals into the community, so that people can more easily access care and support on their high streets.

This freeze is only possible thanks to the government’s difficult but necessary choices at the Budget to bring in a £26 billion boost to the health service.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:

We promised to build an NHS fit for the future, and that started with the £26 billion funding boost I delivered at the Budget, to repair and improve the many vital services it provides.

Since then, waiting lists are falling, staff are better paid and supported, and today, £18 million has been kept in patient’s pockets by freezing prescription charges – easing the cost of living through our Plan for Change, delivering for all.

Jonathan Blades, Head of Policy at Asthma + Lung UK, said:

The freezing of prescription charges is a welcome first step and will provide some short-term relief for people with lung conditions during the ongoing cost of living crisis. Living with a long-term lung condition like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is expensive and rising prescription costs only make it harder for people to manage their condition and stay well.

Around 89% of prescriptions in England are already dispensed free of charge to children, over-60s, pregnant women, and those with certain medical conditions. This freeze will not impact that scheme.

In addition to the freeze on charges, the NHS low income scheme offers help with prescription payments, with free prescriptions for eligible people in certain groups such as pensioners, students, and those who receive state benefits or live in care homes.

Alongside action to rebuild the NHS, the government’s Plan for Change is focused on growing the economy to improve living standards across the country. This further freeze will only improve that.

Notes to editors:

• NHS prescription charges apply in England only
• A 3-month prescription prepayment certificate (PPCs) will be frozen at £32.05 and a 12 month PPCs will remain at £114.50.
• Groups exempt from prescription charges include:

o   Children under 16 and those in full-time education aged 16-18

o   People aged 60 and over

o   Pregnant women and those who have had a baby in the last 12 months

o   People with specified medical conditions like diabetes or cancer and have valid exemption certificates

o   Those receiving qualifying benefits including Universal Credit (with criteria)

o   NHS inpatients

• The freeze will also apply to NHS wigs and fabric supports; these prices will remain at current levels:

·       Surgical brassiere                        £32.50

·       Abdominal or spinal support    £49.05

·       Stock modacrylic wig                 £80.15

·       Partial human hair wig £212.35

·       Full bespoke human hair wig    £310.55

• Patients on a low income, who do not qualify for an exemption, can apply for help with help costs through application to the NHS Low Income Scheme. People can check whether they are eligible for help here.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 28 April 2025.

• Reform of NHS App stops 1.5 million hospital appointments being missed, saving 5.7 million staff hours since July 2024
• Push to get patients seen quicker is part of government’s Plan for Change to end hospital backlogs and shift NHS services from analogue to digital
• 87% of hospitals now offering services through NHS App – up nearly 20% since July 2024 and exceeding government target

Millions of patients are benefiting from greater choice and flexibility in the way they access healthcare as the Prime Minister welcomes a major milestone in the rollout of the NHS App today (28 April 2025).

Latest data shows 1.5 million appointments have been saved thanks to the government’s accelerated rollout of the NHS App, which helps patients access treatment more conveniently so that it fits around their lives, rather than the other way round.

Making sure patients get greater power over how and when they can book their treatments and appointments is at the heart of the government’s plans to end hospital backlogs and improve care through the Plan for Change.

Users can manage appointments, view prescriptions, access their GP health record and receive notifications at the touch of a button, reducing stress on healthcare services and providing easier access to information and services.

The government has exceeded its first target under the plan, to increase the number of hospitals allowing patients to view appointment information on the app up to 85% by the end of March 2025 – reaching 87%, up from 68% in July 2024.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

Our NHS has been stuck in the dark ages – held back by old fashioned systems where patients are struggling for appointments and unable to access their own data.

We saw during the pandemic how apps can totally transform everyday access to health services. So there’s no excuse for the lack of progress in the NHS we’ve inherited.

NHS reform has to come through better use of tech – it’s the fuel we need to power change.

As we deliver our Plan for Change to end hospital backlogs, I want to see more and more people having the option to use the app, so that everyone benefits from more control and choice over their treatment.

Measures to expand the use of the app were set out earlier this year in the government’s elective reform plan, which set out how patients will be offered a wider choice of providers and an easier, quicker way to book appointments.

The move comes as the government steps up the use of health data to accelerate the discovery of life-saving drugs and improve patient care. Earlier this month, the Prime Minister announced an investment alongside the Wellcome Trust of up to £600 million to create a new health data research service. This will transform access to NHS data by providing a secure single access point to national-scale data sets, slashing red tape for researchers and boosting the UK’s world-leading life sciences sector.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

This government is determined to get our NHS fixed and fit for the future – and this is just one of the innovative ways through the Plan for Change that we’re helping patients, cutting waiting lists and saving taxpayers’ money all at the same time.

By putting the latest technology into the hands of patients so they can access services quicker, we’re freeing up more time for doctors and nurses to focus on treating people and getting waiting lists down.

This government is doing things differently. Every missed appointment and wasted staff hour saved means another patient getting the care they need as we drive a digital NHS revolution through our Plan for Change.

Since July 2024, the increased use of existing app features has saved almost 5.7 million hours of staff time, including 1.26 million clinical hours across care settings – together with the 1.5 million missed appointments avoided, the NHS App has helped save the equivalent of £622 million.

The app has spared staff from tasks such as managing appointments, completing questionnaires, ordering repeat prescriptions and taking patient details, freeing up frontline staff to focus directly on patient care and treatment.

And new analysis shows patients are getting faster treatment, with trusts that offer services through the app and patient online systems cutting waiting times for more elective care patients than those who do not.

Trusts who use the app’s key features saw a 3 percentage point increase in the number waiting less than 18 weeks in November 2024. This would equate to up to 211,000 more treatments meeting the 18-week target over the same time period if expanded to all hospitals across the country.

With more patients able to access correspondence digitally through the app, almost 12 million fewer paper letters have been sent by hospitals since July 2024 – saving £5.2 million in postage costs. Forecasts for this year show the use of in-app notifications for planned care will prevent the need for 15.7 million SMS messages – saving the NHS a further £985,000.

To assist elderly and more vulnerable patients, the NHS is now offering the public support in how to access online health services including the NHS App at 1,400 libraries across England.

Dr Vin Diwakar, NHS National Clinical Transformation Director, said:

The NHS App is leading the way in switching from analogue to digital services, empowering over 37 million users with faster access to information and slashing waiting times.

With services now live in 87% of hospitals it is also boosting NHS productivity, cutting the number of missed appointments and freeing up almost 5.7 million staff hours since July alone.

Saffron Cordery, interim Chief Executive of NHS Providers, said:

Any innovations that give patients more control over their care, reduce the risk of missed appointments and free up valuable staff time so that they can focus on patients are a step in the right direction.

While it’s really positive that even more hospitals are now offering services through the NHS App, trust leaders know that not everyone has access to or feels comfortable using technology. That’s why it’s welcome that alongside paper letters and phone calls, the NHS is offering more support to help elderly and more vulnerable patients access online health services including via the NHS App.

Rory Deighton, Acute Director at the NHS Confederation, said:

Investing in digital technology and infrastructure in the NHS is vitally important to the government’s ambition of moving from an analogue system to a fully digitised one. This will be crucial in the ongoing improvements to NHS productivity, as well as meeting patient demand and providing safe and quality care.

The NHS App offers the potential to increase patient access, integration, and efficiency across the health service. It can help to reduce duplication and save the time of staff on admin tasks and things like repeat prescriptions.

This is why it is so important that funding in the App as well as the wider digital transformation agenda continues long term.

Planned NHS App upgrades are set to include the ability for patients to choose from a wide range of providers through the app, book tests at convenient locations, such as their local community diagnostic centre and receive test results quickly through the app, before choosing the next step.

The app drive is part of the government’s wider ambitions to shift NHS services from analogue to digital and cut waiting lists under its Plan for Change. With a total of 3 million additional appointments already delivered 6 months early, the government is exceeding its own targets and driving down waiting lists at pace, which have fallen for 6 months in a row and by 219,000 since July 2024.

The milestone follows the government’s announcement that 4.5 million tests, checks and scans were carried out in community diagnostic centres (CDCs) between July 2024 and February 2025, a 50% increase on the previous year. Alongside this, NHS waiting lists in the areas with the highest economic inactivity have been slashed by almost 50,000 between October 2024 and February 2025 – a number larger than Stamford Bridge stadium.

Dr John Dean, Clinical Vice President of the Royal College of Physicians, said:

We welcome the continued rollout and improvements to the NHS App with the aim of putting patients in control of their own health. A focus on incrementally building functionality in the NHS App to support patients to manage their own healthcare will lead to better, more connected digital systems that work better for staff and patients, freeing up time and increasing productivity.

We are keen to work closely with NHS England and the government to ensure that the NHS App is rolled out and improved in ways that most benefit patients and clinicians. It is also vital that we ensure sufficient mitigations are put in place so that those without access to the app are not excluded from accessing the same quality of patient care.

Rachel Power, Chief Executive of the Patients Association, said:

It’s very encouraging to see how digital tools like the NHS App are giving patients greater power over their healthcare, from managing appointments to accessing important health information. The NHS figures showing 1.5 million prevented missed appointments and 1.7 million staff hours saved demonstrate just how transformative this innovation can be.

While this digital progress is vital and the 20% increase in hospital participation is welcome, we must also ensure no one is left behind. Digital access remains a barrier for many, so we welcome the initiative providing support for online health services at 1,400 libraries across England. This kind of practical support needs to remain a key priority as services continue to modernise.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 27 April 2025.

Thousands of patients are seeing tangible benefits from the government’s Plan for Change, with the latest health data showing significant improvements in access to care.

Tens of thousands of patients up and down the country are already getting their appointments more quickly thanks to the government’s Plan for Change to reform the NHS and drive forward national renewal.

By slashing waiting lists and delivering improvements across the NHS in record time—including delivering three million additional appointments six months early—the government is exceeding its own targets and driving down waiting lists at a rapid pace. This has resulted in a six-month decline and a 219,000 reduction since July.

Around 4.5 million tests, checks and scans were carried out in Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs)—many of which are conveniently located on local high streets—between July and February, a 50% increase on the previous year.

This equates to 18,000 more checks being delivered every day for patients to diagnose some of the biggest killers, including cancer and heart disease.

As well as opening more CDCs to bring care closer to people’s homes, the government is going further and faster by significantly expanding the number of CDCs open 12 hours a day, seven days a week—making it easier for people to get their tests and appointments done at a time that suits them.

Backed by almost £26 billion investment at the Budget, the Plan for Change is driving forward reform of the NHS to put an end to the misery for many people who have had to put their lives on hold while stuck on waiting lists, delivering the change people voted for.

Alongside action to rebuild the NHS, the Plan for Change is also focused on growing the economy to improve living standards across the country.

The government is already putting more pounds in people’s pockets by freezing fuel duty, boosting the minimum wage by up to £1,400 a year, and protecting working people with no rise in their national insurance, income tax, or VAT. Living standards are growing at their fastest rate in two years, and the Spring Statement showed people will be, on average, over £500 a year better off.

Earlier this month, we outlined plans for a Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which aims to put 13,000 more officers into neighbourhood policing roles by 2029—an increase of more than 50%. This will help restore people’s trust in local policing.

To ensure that working people can benefit from clean, secure, homegrown energy, we have set up Great British Energy in Aberdeen to catalyse private investment and announced its first major project: installing solar panels on 200 schools and 200 NHS sites, which will cut energy bills.

Through the Plan for Change, we are working to give every child the best start in life and break down barriers to opportunity. This week, thousands of children started attending the first 750 free breakfast clubs, providing them with a healthy start to the day, giving parents 30 minutes of free childcare, and helping them save up to £450 a year.

Restoring economic stability and driving growth is fundamental to the Plan for Change. The OBR has confirmed that the economy will grow every year from 2026 and that our planning reforms will lead to a 0.2% increase in GDP, worth £6.8 billion.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said:

Through our Plan for Change, we are getting on with the job of rebuilding our country and improving the public services we all rely on.

It’s already making a difference in people’s lives as we put police back on the beat, get more teachers in classrooms, and this week launched free breakfast clubs in hundreds of schools.

The latest data shows our approach is delivering real change, with tens of thousands more patients getting the right care and waiting lists falling faster in areas where there are higher numbers of people out of work. And this is just the start.

The government is also working at pace to slash NHS waiting lists in areas with the highest economic inactivity. The scheme, known as the Further Faster 20 programme, is part of plans to reduce the number of people unable to work due to long-term sickness, which is at its highest level since the 1990s.

The programme sees teams made up of clinical leads from across trusts, as well as national specialists, driving innovative practices. It has resulted in a total of almost 50,000 cases being removed from waiting lists in these areas since October. 35% of the national reduction in the overall waiting list has come from the 20 hospitals involved in the scheme, which has fallen faster than the national average.

Minister for Elective Care Karin Smyth said:

This government made a promise to the British public to reverse more than a decade of soaring waiting times and poor access to patient care—and through our Plan for Change, we are starting to turn the tide across every part of the country—with our crack teams already having a transformative impact.

This is a long road, but with tens of thousands more patients getting care that works for them and waiting lists falling faster in areas of high joblessness, we are getting the NHS back on its feet so it delivers for patients once again.

This is only the start. From bringing patient care closer to home, to ending the 8 am scramble for a GP appointment, this government is determined to transform our NHS to make it fit for the future.

One example of the Future Faster 20 programme is the Trafford Elective Hub, where the team have been running super-charged theatre lists that see almost twice the number of patients seen as standard theatre lists.

The hub also runs super clinics at weekends, providing one-stop shops to treat 100 patients at a time. The hub also has employment advisers on hand to help patients get back to work faster.

Miss Toli Onon, Joint Chief Medical Officer at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust said:

The Trafford Elective Hub exemplifies innovative approaches to reducing waiting lists, such as High Performance theatre lists which are designed to optimise surgical productivity by refining the surgical pathway and minimising inefficiencies.

By enhancing the productivity and efficiency of our elective services, we are demonstrating a sustainable and effective model for the future that benefits more patients.

Other initiatives include Super Clinics. These Super Clinics, which can serve up to 100 patients over weekends, streamline care by providing multiple services in one visit and include employment advisers to help patients return to work faster.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 27 April 2025.

• Government drives forward use of innovative artificial intelligence in hospitals to improve patient care
• New government guidance set out today will encourage its use across health service while protecting patient data and privacy
• Trials show dramatic reduction in admin and more time for direct patient care, as Plan for Change delivers seismic shift in care to digital

NHS clinicians will be supported to use groundbreaking artificial intelligence tools that bulldoze bureaucracy and take notes to free up staff time and deliver better care to patients thanks to guidance published today.

Interim trial data shows that the revolutionary tech has dramatically reduced admin, and meant more people could be seen in A&E, clinicians could spend more time during an appointment focusing on the patient, and appointments were shorter.

Through its Plan for Change the government is getting the NHS back on its feet and slashing waiting lists. Guidance published today will encourage the use of these products – which use speech technologies and generative AI to convert spoken words into structured medical notes and letters – across a range of primary and secondary care settings, including hospitals and GP surgeries.

The government’s mission-led approach is driving forward the use of innovative tech and new approaches to reform the health system and improve care for patients – offering them quicker and smarter care.

One of the tools – ambient voice technologies (AVTs) – can transcribe patient-clinician conversations, create structured medical notes, and even draft patient letters.

Patient safety and privacy will be paramount. This is why the guidance will focus on data compliance and security, risk identification and assessment, while ensuring that staff are properly trained before using the technology.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

“AI is the catalyst that will revolutionise healthcare and drive efficiencies across the NHS, as we deliver our Plan for Change and shift care from analogue to digital.

“I am determined we embrace this kind of technology, so clinicians don’t have to spend so much time pushing pens and can focus on their patients.

“This government made the difficult but necessary decision at the Budget to put a record £26 billion into our NHS and social care including cash to roll out more pioneering tech.”

The NHS England funded, London-wide AVT work, led by Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, has evaluated AVT capabilities across a range of clinical settings – Adult Outpatients, Primary Care, Paediatrics, Mental Health, Community care, A+E and across London Ambulance Service.

This multi-site evaluation involving over 7000 patients has demonstrated widespread benefits. Interim data shows:

• Increase in direct care – clinicians spending more time spent with patients rather than typing on a computer
• Increase in productivity in A&E – the technology has supported more patients to be seen in emergency departments by carrying out admin for A&E staff

Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

“This technology has the power to free up doctors to do the thing they all want to – spend more time treating their patients. That is good for them, good for anyone receiving healthcare, and a shot in the arm for our efforts to overhaul the NHS as part of the Plan for Change.

“It’s a prime example of why we are embracing the benefits of AI, to make our public services fit for the 21st century and fire up our economy.”

At GOSH, AVTs have listened to consultations and drafted clinic notes and letters. These were then edited and authorised by the clinician before being uploaded to the secure electronic health record system and sent on to patients and their families. Clinicians agreed the AI helped them offer more attention to their patients without affecting the quality of the clinic note or letter.

Dr Maaike Kusters, Paediatric Immunology Consultant at GOSH, says:

“The patients I see in my clinics have very complex medical conditions and it’s so important to make sure I capture what we discuss in our appointments accurately, but often this means I am typing rather than looking directly at my patient and their family.

“Using the AI tool during the trial meant I could sit closer to them face-to-face and really focus on what they were sharing with me, without compromising on the quality of documentation.”

As it stands, clinicians in hospitals and GP surgeries are forced to spend much of their consultations recording information into a computer instead of focusing on the patient in front of them.

Once the patient has left, they are often required to take that information and summarise it in documents like referral letters. The government is determined to reform these outdated ways of working and revolutionise care, and this innovative tech will do that work for them, so they can see their next patient.

The Jean Bishop Integrated Care Centre in East Hull (part of City Health Care Partnership) has introduced an ambient scribing product to make their documentation process faster and better support their work to care for people living with frailty.

By converting a conversation with a patient into a clinical note, the ambient scribing product is freeing up time for a range of staff including GPs, consultants, nurses, and physiotherapists.

Thanks to government action, GP surgeries delivered 31.4 million appointments last month– a 6.1% increase on the previous year – and waiting lists have fallen by 219,000 patients. This technology will help consolidate this progress.

The government is already using AI to speed up diagnosis and treatment for a range of health issues – spotting pain levels for people who can’t speak, diagnosing breast cancer quicker, and getting people discharged quicker.

Notes to editors

Dr Andrew Noble, a doctor working at a care centre in Hull, says:

“By embracing this innovative technology, we’ve optimised our resources and empowered our clinicians and entire multidisciplinary team.

“The positive feedback from both staff and patients shows just how valuable this project has been.

“We’re excited to keep exploring what AI can do for us and to continue enhancing patient care and clinical efficiency.”

Dr Vin Diwakar, National Director of Transformation at NHS England, said:
“This exciting technology can reduce the burden of administration, allowing patients more quality time with their clinician, and our new guidance shows the NHS’s ability to rapidly and safely harness the very latest innovations to transform healthcare and bring benefits for our hardworking staff and our patients.”

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 26 April 2025.

Interim trial data shows that the revolutionary tech has dramatically reduced admin.

• Government drives forward use of innovative artificial intelligence in hospitals to improve patient care
• New government guidance set out today will encourage its use across health service while protecting patient data and privacy
• Trials show dramatic reduction in admin and more time for direct patient care, as Plan for Change delivers seismic shift in care to digital

NHS clinicians will be supported to use groundbreaking artificial intelligence tools that bulldoze bureaucracy and take notes to free up staff time and deliver better care to patients thanks to guidance published today.

Interim trial data shows that the revolutionary tech has dramatically reduced admin, and meant more people could be seen in A&E, clinicians could spend more time during an appointment focusing on the patient, and appointments were shorter.

Through its Plan for Change the government is getting the NHS back on its feet and slashing waiting lists. Guidance published today will encourage the use of these products – which use speech technologies and generative AI to convert spoken words into structured medical notes and letters – across a range of primary and secondary care settings, including hospitals and GP surgeries.

The government’s mission-led approach is driving forward the use of innovative tech and new approaches to reform the health system and improve care for patients – offering them quicker and smarter care.

One of the tools – ambient voice technologies (AVTs) – can transcribe patient-clinician conversations, create structured medical notes, and even draft patient letters.

Patient safety and privacy will be paramount. This is why the guidance will focus on data compliance and security, risk identification and assessment, while ensuring that staff are properly trained before using the technology.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

AI is the catalyst that will revolutionise healthcare and drive efficiencies across the NHS, as we deliver our Plan for Change and shift care from analogue to digital.

I am determined we embrace this kind of technology, so clinicians don’t have to spend so much time pushing pens and can focus on their patients.

This government made the difficult but necessary decision at the Budget to put a record £26 billion into our NHS and social care including cash to roll out more pioneering tech.

The NHS England funded, London-wide AVT work, led by Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, has evaluated AVT capabilities across a range of clinical settings – Adult Outpatients, Primary Care, Paediatrics, Mental Health, Community care, A+E and across London Ambulance Service.

This multi-site evaluation involving over 7000 patients has demonstrated widespread benefits. Interim data shows:

• Increase in direct care – clinicians spending more time spent with patients rather than typing on a computer
• Increase in productivity in A&E – the technology has supported more patients to be seen in emergency departments by carrying out admin for A&E staff

At GOSH, AVTs have listened to consultations and drafted clinic notes and letters. These were then edited and authorised by the clinician before being uploaded to the secure electronic health record system and sent on to patients and their families. Clinicians agreed the AI helped them offer more attention to their patients without affecting the quality of the clinic note or letter.

Dr Maaike Kusters, Paediatric Immunology Consultant at GOSH, says:

The patients I see in my clinics have very complex medical conditions and it’s so important to make sure I capture what we discuss in our appointments accurately, but often this means I am typing rather than looking directly at my patient and their family.

Using the AI tool during the trial meant I could sit closer to them face-to-face and really focus on what they were sharing with me, without compromising on the quality of documentation.

As it stands, clinicians in hospitals and GP surgeries are forced to spend much of their consultations recording information into a computer instead of focusing on the patient in front of them.

Once the patient has left, they are often required to take that information and summarise it in documents like referral letters. The government is determined to reform these outdated ways of working and revolutionise care, and this innovative tech will do that work for them, so they can see their next patient.

The Jean Bishop Integrated Care Centre in East Hull (part of City Health Care Partnership) has introduced an ambient scribing product to make their documentation process faster and better support their work to care for people living with frailty.

By converting a conversation with a patient into a clinical note, the ambient scribing product is freeing up time for a range of staff including GPs, consultants, nurses, and physiotherapists.

Thanks to government action, GP surgeries delivered 31.4 million appointments last month– a 6.1% increase on the previous year – and waiting lists have fallen by 219,000 patients. This technology will help consolidate this progress.

The government is already using AI to speed up diagnosis and treatment for a range of health issues – spotting pain levels for people who can’t speak, diagnosing breast cancer quicker, and getting people discharged quicker.

Notes to editors

Dr Andrew Noble, a doctor working at a care centre in Hull, says:

By embracing this innovative technology, we’ve optimised our resources and empowered our clinicians and entire multidisciplinary team.

The positive feedback from both staff and patients shows just how valuable this project has been.

We’re excited to keep exploring what AI can do for us and to continue enhancing patient care and clinical efficiency.

Dr Vin Diwakar, National Director of Transformation at NHS England, said:

This exciting technology can reduce the burden of administration, allowing patients more quality time with their clinician, and our new guidance shows the NHS’s ability to rapidly and safely harness the very latest innovations to transform healthcare and bring benefits for our hardworking staff and our patients.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 24 April 2025.

It will inform England’s first ever men’s health strategy to tackle the life expectancy gap.

• Call for evidence will inform England’s first ever men’s health strategy to tackle life expectancy gap
• Members of the public and healthcare experts will get their say on ways to tackle biggest health problems facing men as part of Plan for Change to improve health care for everyone
• This follows government’s first ever Men’s Health Summit held in partnership with Movember, co-hosted by Arsenal and Premier League

The government is today (Thursday 24 April) calling for men of all ages to come forward and feed into England’s first ever men’s health strategy.

The 12-week call for evidence will gather vital insights from the public, health and social care professionals, academics and employers so the government can properly consider how to prevent and tackle the biggest issues facing men from all backgrounds.

It will ask for their views on what is working and what more needs to be done to close the life expectancy gap between men and women, as men in England die nearly four years earlier than women on average.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

Every day, men across England are dying early from preventable causes. Men are hit harder by a range of conditions, while tragically suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50.

Our Plan for Change means we will tackle these issues head on through a men’s health strategy, and today’s call for evidence is the crucial next step in understanding what works, what doesn’t, and how we can design services men will actually use. I urge people to come forward to share their views.

The call for evidence will seek responses on how the government’s Plan for Change can work across the board to improve the health and wellbeing of men, through:

• Prevention – finding the right areas and the right ways to promote healthier behaviours
• Diagnosis and treatment – improving outcomes for health conditions that hit men harder
• Encouragement to come forward – improving men’s access to, engagement with and experience of the health service

This government is committed to fixing the NHS and getting a grip on the stark health inequalities that exist across the country through the Plan for Change, which will rebuild the health service and deliver better care for everyone. With a clearer, more tailored approach for both men and women, their distinct health needs will be met better.

In women’s health, we’re turning the commitments in the women’s health strategy into tangible actions – taking urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan, investing in a major AI breast cancer screening trial, and implementing key priority areas outlines in our strategy – alongside taking wider government action to tackle violence against women and girls.

Amy O’Connor, Global Lead, Policy and Advocacy at Movember, said:

Too many men are dying too young, the men’s health strategy is a once in a generation opportunity to invest in positive change for men and their loved ones. Share your solutions – whether it’s more community support groups, improved education, or enhancing clinical training, to create a lasting impact on the future of men’s health.

Julie Bentley, Samaritans CEO, said:

Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50 so it’s critical that suicide prevention is front and centre of this strategy. With men making up 75 percent of all suicides, this strategy is a real opportunity to prevent thousands of deaths.

Recognising what works for different groups of men, focusing on key risk factors and providing evidenced based support will be crucial and we’d encourage everyone to submit evidence to this important consultation. We look forward to working with Government on meaningful ways to cut suicide rates and save lives.

Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA’s Community and Wellbeing Board, said:

We are pleased that the Government has announced plans to launch the first-ever Men’s Health Strategy with a call for evidence. It’s a significant step towards improving men’s health outcomes and ensuring that men can live healthier, longer, happier lives.

The call for evidence will be open for views on the Department of Health and Social Care website until 17 July. The government aims to launch the men’s health strategy later this year.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 23 April 2025.

Government backs world-leading trial of cutting-edge technology to diagnose bowel cancer earlier, harnessing the power of technology to treat patients.

Patients could soon benefit from world-leading technology to diagnose bowel cancer earlier, faster and cheaper, reducing the need for invasive colonoscopies and biopsies, and potentially saving valuable time and resource for the NHS, the government has announced today (Wednesday 23rd April).

The technology, made on British soil by Xgenera, in collaboration with the University of Southampton, has the potential to detect bowel cancer earlier, improving diagnosis rates, and offering patients valuable time back to treat the disease faster and more effectively.

Bowel cancer is the UK’s fourth most common cancer, with over 42,000 people diagnosed each year. Early diagnosis is crucial, with 9 in 10 people surviving bowel cancer when it’s detected at stage 1, compared to just 1 in 10 when diagnosed at stage 4.

This government is driving forward improvements to cancer care through the Plan for Change to fix our NHS – including by improving waiting times for lower gastrointestinal diagnosis. From July 2024 to February 2025, 76.6% of patients have received their cancer diagnosis or all clear within 28 days, an increase of 4ppt compared to the previous year.

Today’s announcement comes as the Health and Social Care Secretary is set to visit a research lab funded by Cancer Research UK, which has been renamed in memory of campaigner Dame Deborah James.

The BowelBabe Laboratory will bring together leading scientists to advance our understanding of bowel cancer. It will conduct cutting-edge research and will aid in the development of new treatments for bowel cancer.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, said:

From my own experience, I know the devastating toll cancer can take on patients and families, and how many of them have been faced with long waiting lists to get the diagnosis and treatment they deserve.

We know that the key to surviving cancer is catching it as early as possible, so this government is taking the urgent action needed to make sure that happens through our Plan for Change, from developing world leading technology to detect bowel cancer earlier, through to setting up hubs for the UK’s top scientists to research and treat the disease.

Dame Deborah James dedicated her life to raising awareness for cancer and finding ways that we can beat it, so it is only right that we honour her legacy by investing in research to help stop one of the country’s biggest killers.

And research is only one part of the work we’re doing. Our National Cancer Plan will transform cancer so patients can get the latest treatments and technology, ultimately bringing this country’s cancer survival rates back up to some of the best in the world.

Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Chief Executive Officer of the NIHR said:

Innovations such as the mIONCO-Dx blood test offer an exciting new era in cancer detection with the potential for quicker, easier and more effective ways to detect cancers before they become more difficult to treat.

The NIHR is supporting initiatives such as these, utilising the latest technologies such as AI, to provide patients and the public with timely, accurate and easily accessible options. Supporting the UK’s thriving life sciences sector is key to seeing these strides in diagnosis and early prevention.

In collaboration with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the government has awarded £2.4m to progress the development of the AI-driven blood test, known as miONCO-Dx. The test was developed on data from over 20,000 patients and has since been translated into a cheaper, faster and more scalable solution, marking a significant step forward. This new solution will be assessed in a clinical trial of 8,000 patients, giving a formal and significant step towards bringing the test closer to patients by ensuring it is fit for purpose in the NHS.

The test works by measuring the microRNA in a blood sample and using AI to identify if cancer is present and if so, where it is located in the body.  Initial tests have produced promising results, having shown that it is able to detect 12 of the most lethal and common cancers, including bowel cancer, at an early stage, with over 99% accuracy. With no other trial currently working in the same way, this a world-leader and will support in placing Britain at the forefront of revolutionising healthcare.

The simple blood test will be able to identify cancer earlier, where treatment is not only more effective, but also cheaper and easier, potentially freeing up valuable NHS resources and staffing time in the long run.

Bowel cancer can be difficult to detect in the early stages, and survivability drops significantly as the disease progresses, as treatment options become more limited. Investing in technologies that can support experts to detect cancer early, such as the miONCO-Dx, is an essential first step in reducing the lives lost by cancer.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said

Bowel cancer is the second biggest cause of cancer deaths in the UK. I’m delighted to welcome the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, to the Bowelbabe Laboratory and show him the cutting-edge research being carried out in the name of the inspirational Dame Deborah James. She touched the lives of so many, and her legacy is supporting people affected by bowel cancer across the country.

This NIHR trial shows the importance of research and the impact new technology and developments could have. The upcoming National Cancer Plan for England is an opportunity for the UK Government to improve the lives of not just bowel cancer patients, but all cancer patients. We will continue to work with them on this.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said:

This blood test has the potential to help us detect bowel cancer earlier and reduce the need for invasive tests, and the next step in this trial will now be vital in gathering further evidence on its effectiveness and how it could work in practice.

Dame Deborah James was a tireless and inspirational campaigner who helped change the national conversation on bowel cancer – it’s fitting that this lab in her name will drive forward research that could help thousands more people survive the disease.

Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

Bowel cancer has brought heartbreak to too many families across the country. But working in partnership with the NHS, researchers, and business, we can harness AI to overhaul how we detect and treat this horrendous disease. This new method is less invasive and will help with earlier detection which means keeping more families together for longer.

Our support for cancer research will unlock more innovation and make vital work like that of the BowelBabe Research Lab possible. All of this will help us build a better NHS as part of our Plan for Change.

Fighting cancer on all fronts, from diagnosis, research, prevention and treatment, is a key commitment made by the government. Earlier this year, the government launched a call for evidence for the National Cancer Plan, designed to improve patient experience to fight cancer.

This forms part of the wider strategy to reduce lives lost to the biggest killers across the UK, with investment in AI and innovative technologies helping to speed up diagnosis and improve treatment.

As part of its Plan for Change, the government will transform the NHS and is already seeing results – with waiting lists falling by over 200,000 since July last year.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 17 April 2025.

Government confirms expansion of Advice and Guidance scheme, with more patients now receiving their care closer to home.

• More patients to get care in the community thanks to roll out of expanded scheme to keep patients off waiting lists
• £80m available to support GPs in getting patients care in the right place, rather than being sent to hospitals
• Expanded scheme marks latest step to deliver government’s Plan for Change to cut waiting lists after data shows 3 million extra appointments created since July

Tens of thousands of patients are receiving care closer to home, so they don’t have to be added to lengthy NHS waiting lists, as the government confirms the expansion of a GP scheme to shift care from hospital to community.

The scheme named “Advice and Guidance” sees GPs working more closely with hospital specialists to access expert advice quickly and speed their patients through the system, so they get care in the right place as soon as possible.

That means patients are being directed to more appropriate care – such as being prescribed medication, accessing blood tests or scans via their GP, or receiving care in a local women’s health hub or community physio service, rather than being put on long NHS waiting lists.

And new data shows that, between July and December 2024, around 660,000 treatments were diverted from hospitals and into the community thanks to the scheme – a 60,000 increase on the same period the previous year.

The government has pledged to expand the use of the system, with an ambition to increase diversions from the elective waiting list to up to 2 million by the end of 2025/26 – meaning that more patients will benefit from faster and more convenient care. The NHS is now rolling out payments to GPs across the country, replacing the previous approach which led to patchy provision and meant a postcode lottery for patients.

As a result of tough but necessary decisions made at the Budget, the government has been able to put £26 billion of investment into the NHS, which is funding the £80 million expansion of this efficient and effective “Advice and Guidance” service – alongside driving forward work to cut waiting lists and improve care for patients through the Plan for Change.

Thanks to the scheme, patients suffering from something as common as irritable bowel syndrome – which is estimated to affect up to 1 in 5 people – can avoid being added to already long waiting lists, which stand at almost 400,000 for digestive conditions. Instead, after an initial consultation with their family doctor, the GP can seek expert advice and refer the patient directly to dieticians to provide quicker care, closer to home – all without the patient having to set foot inside a hospital.

Health Minister Karin Smyth said:

By caring for patients closer to home, we save time and stop masses of people having to head to hospital for unnecessary appointments in the first place.

We are rewiring the NHS so that we are doing things differently, more efficiently and delivering better outcomes for patients. This scheme is a perfect example of how we are saving patients time and reducing pressure on key NHS services in the process.

It will take time to reverse the damaging neglect the NHS has suffered in recent years, but our Plan for Change is starting to deliver benefits for patients, with waiting lists cut by 219,000 since July, and 1,500 new GPs in post.

Dr Amanda Doyle, NHS national director for primary care and community services, said:

GPs have been working closely with specialist hospital teams to make sure patients get the right care and treatment.

Expanding this service with this new funding will help even more patients access the right support, closer to their home while reducing unnecessary waits for hospital care.

“Advice and Guidance” opens a channel between GPs and hospital specialists before patients are referred onto waiting lists for hospital care. It enables patients to get the right tests and treatment via their GP or local services within their community.

From April, GP practices can now claim for every request raised via the scheme in recognition of their vital role in helping to deliver the shift from hospital to community. The expansion of the scheme aims to standardise its use across the country and ensure it is being deployed consistently to get patients treated in the right place.

Many patients suffering from certain conditions, can and should be safely and effectively managed in an out-of-hospital setting. This means people can take more power over decision making, which can help to improve overall wellbeing and potentially even reduce healthcare costs.

Other examples of patients who stand to benefit from the expansion include:

• Women seeking gynaecological care, including treatment for menopause symptoms where GPs may need specialist advice on which types of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to prescribe. Providing this treatment in the community saves patients being added to the waiting list for gynaecological care, which stands at more than 580,000.
• Patients with ear, nose and throat (ENT) issues – 30 per cent of referrals to secondary care currently include many conditions which can and should be managed in an out-of-hospital setting, including tinnitus, ear wax removal, and simple ear infections. As of February 2025, the waiting list for ENT services is 634,000.

Professor Sir Sam Everington OBE, GP in Tower Hamlets since 1989, said:

Advice and guidance enables patients and GPs to get advice direct from a specialist, typically within a week for routine cases. This means that patients get their health problems sorted rapidly, preventing health deterioration and avoiding long waits to be seen. In my experience, over two-thirds of patients with kidney disease can be managed in this way with advice from a consultant and treatment by the GP, removing the enormous stress and uncertainty of waiting a long time.

Ruth Rankine, director of primary care at the NHS Confederation, said:

Advice and Guidance, if implemented effectively, can support improved patient care, streamlined referrals processes, and efficient use of resources. It can give the patient and their GP more control over their treatment options and support care closer to home.

For many conditions, we know that hospital treatment isn’t the best option so this measure will support a greater drive to provision of out of hospital services in line with the government’s priorities, and deliver more investment in primary and community services to provide more cost-effective support to patients.

Sharon Brennan, Director of Policy and External Affairs, National Voices, said:

If genuine shared decision-making sits at the centre of the advice and guidance service it has the potential to ensure, where appropriate, patients receive the most suitable care closer to home without having to anxiously sit on consultant waiting lists. To make sure patient develop trust in this new service, we must see real choice offered to patients about what best treatment routes are, and strong communication about what the service is and what it means in practical terms for patient care.

The government has set out its plan to reform and rebuild the NHS, with the ambition that 92% of patients will be waiting less than 18 weeks by the end of this Parliament.

The Plan for Change is already delivering tangible impacts for patients – with industrial action ended, NHS waiting lists falling, and over 3 million additional appointments delivered since July 2024.

We have also begun fixing the front door of the NHS, hiring an extra 1,500 GPs since October and changing the GP contract to help bring an end to the 8am scramble for appointments.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 14 April 2025.

Dr Camilla Kingdon has been appointed by the Secretary of State to chair an independent review of children’s hearing services.

• Dr Camilla Kingdon has accepted a direct ministerial appointment by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
• As a consultant neonatologist and former President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), Dr Kingdon brings extensive expertise to the review

The Secretary of State, Wes Streeting, has commissioned an independent review of children’s hearing services and has appointed Dr Camilla Kingdon as its independent chair.

The review will consider:

• the NHS England response to the service failures in paediatric audiology
• how the relevant governance arrangements between NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) could be improved and identify lessons learned
• how NHS England’s handling of any future service failures in similar services could be improved and identify lessons learned

Dr Kingdon brings extensive expertise to the review. She has been a consultant neonatologist at the Evelina London Children’s Hospital for over 20 years and until March last year she was President of RCPCH. She has an MA in Medical Careers Management and was Head of the London School of Paediatrics and Child Health for 5 years from 2014.

Dr Kingdon is also the independent chair of the NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Service National Provider Network for England, tasked with implementing the recommendations of the Cass Review (the independent review of gender identity services for children and young people) in England. She has been a non-executive director on the board at Great Ormond Street Hospital since January 2025, is chair of the UK Healthy Air Coalition, a coalition of charities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working to tackle air pollution, and is a member of the NHS Assembly.

Background to the review

In December 2021, a report was published into service issues in paediatric audiology in NHS Lothian, which focused on whether children’s hearing tests were being conducted properly and effectively followed up.

Further issues with the diagnosis of hearing issues in newborns and children were identified in other Scottish NHS trusts in 2023. Subsequent assessment of NHS audiology services in paediatric departments across England in 2023 and 2024 identified similar problems. NHS England established the Paediatric Hearing Services Improvement Programme in 2023 to address the issues and oversee remedial action.