Partnership aims to accelerate NHS adoption of radiology AI

Six NHS trusts will deploy deepc’s AI radiology platform as part of a collaboration with the AI Centre for Value Based Healthcare (AI4VBC).

The partnership is intended to accelerate and transform NHS adoption of radiology AI, with the aim of speeding up and improving diagnosis and care across a large number of care pathways including dementia, heart failure and cancer.

Over the past five years, the AI4VBH has developed numerous platforms to provide secure access to electronic health data for the development of AI models and deployment of AI technology.

Under the partnership, deepc will provide technology, resources and expertise to support the continued development of new and existing innovations and help improve the centre’s ability to deploy them in clinical settings.

Franz Pfister, chief executive and cofounder of deepc, said:“deepc was created to bridge the rapidly growing divide between what the best AI innovations can now achieve within radiology, and health systems’ ability to access those advances.

“Hospitals and doctors know that AI can help them and their patients but they need support to unlock the benefits and navigate the technical and regulatory challenges.

“We’re incredibly proud to announce this long-term strategic collaboration with the AI4VBC to help accelerate and scale the adoption of radiology AI tools within the NHS.

“Together, we hope to lay the foundations for the NHS to become a true nucleus of excellence for radiology AI globally.” 

As part of the intitative, deepc will deploy its deepcOS platform across six NHS trusts, with the intention to expand to 10 trusts.

Professor Sebastien, director of the AI4VBC said: “Our partnership with deepc will begin by helping six NHS trusts access more than 75 clinically proven AI tools, but that is only the beginning.

“deepc will play a vital role in supporting the AI4VBC’s future growth.

“Working together, we can make the NHS a true leader in the safe and effective use of AI, ultimately delivering benefits to our patients.”

The first six trusts to go live with the platform will be Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, King’s College Hospital NHS FT, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, University Hospitals Sussex NHS FT and East Kent Hospitals University NHS FT.

Lawrence Tallon, deputy chief executive at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS FT, said: “This partnership will enable us to speed up the development of our AI accelerated learning initiatives.

“We look forward to working more closely together to realise the benefits of AI in clinical practice for patients across the NHS.”

Longer term, deepc will work with AI4VBH to build a secure environment where other organisations can develop AI healthcare tools.

In March 2024, deepc joined the King’s Health Partners Digital Health Hub to support the development of AI radiology technologies in the UK.

The Munich-based startup announced in July 2024 that it had closed Series A funding with a €12 million (£10m) extension round, bringing the company’s total funding to date to €30m (£25m).