Digital Health Coffee Time Briefing ☕

Your morning summary of digital health news, information and events to know about if you want to be “in the know”.

👇 News

The UK government has announced plans for 20 new clinical research hubs funded through £100 million in public-private investment. Known as Commercial Research Delivery Centres (CRDCs), the hubs aim to accelerate clinical trials and expand access to innovative treatments across the UK, including under-served regions and community settings. CRDCs will focus on diverse health challenges, including cancer, obesity and infectious diseases like flu and respiratory syncytial virus.

🤝 AI and cloud company Snowflake has joined Paddington Life Science Partners, a life sciences cluster led by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust committed to improving population health in north west London. Snowflake’s platform enables organisations, including several NHS trusts, to store, manage, process and share their data securely. The collaboration will support the use of data and AI to improve population health through four key areas of focus: social value, diversity and equity in clinical trials, data and digital, and place and space.

🫁 A new service helping the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer is now being offered at St Richard’s Hospital in Sussex, reducing waiting times and improving patient experiences. Endobronchial ultrasound is an advanced procedure that uses a flexible tube with an ultrasound tool to examine the lungs and lymph nodes in the chest. This technique helps diagnose and determine the stage of lung cancer more quickly, as well as diagnosing other airway conditions. It is also safer and less invasive compared to other procedures.

♥️ Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust has become the first trust in the UK to launch a new treatment to improve outcomes for patients with coronary artery disease. Medis-QFR uses 3D imaging to provide a highly accurate, non-surgical assessment of the circulation of blood to a patient’s heart through. This makes diagnostic decision making around assessment of coronary lesions and blood flow restrictions faster and more reliable, as well as offering an alternative, non-interventional alternative procedure for patients requiring a diagnosis.

📱 Somerset NHS Foundation Trust has launched a new cancer self-referral service in Bridgwater to make it easier for people to get checked for bowel cancer. The service comprises a self-referral form accessed via cancer specialists C the Signs online platform, where patients can check their symptoms. Eligible patients are then sent a faecal immunochemical test. If the test is positive, patients are referred to NHS teams for further assessment.

❓Did you know?

Three-quarters (75%) of adult social care providers in England say they will reduce or stop digital transformation projects in response to national insurance changes and national living wage increases announced in the recent Budget.

A survey of 1,180 adult social care providers published by the Care Provider Alliance (CPA) on 25 November also found that 71% are abandoning growth plans, while 73% will have to refuse new care packages from local authorities or the NHS without immediate government intervention. 

“Without immediate government intervention, the collapse of care services will leave vulnerable people without essential support and place unprecedented pressure on the NHS,” CPA said.

📖 What we’re reading

A report by Siemens, published in December 2024, warns that the UK risks lagging behind global competitors in digitalisation investment, particularly in infrastructure modernisation. 

‘Digital Transformation, Sustainable Returns‘ reveals that while 58% of global businesses plan to increase spending on digital technologies next year, only 38% of UK firms surveyed intend to do so. Siemens highlights that underinvestment could widen productivity gaps and slow progress on decarbonisation goals.

The report also identifies barriers, including the perceived costs and complexity of adopting digital tools. Carl Enned, chief executive at Siemens UK&I, called for more stable policies and regulatory frameworks to encourage investment, noting that technologies like AI and automation are essential to modernising infrastructure and meeting net-zero targets.

“Digitalisation is the number one driver in us creating a modern, decarbonised UK infrastructure. From electricity, water, buildings, transport – the list goes on – technologies like AI, simulation and automation are increasingly playing a role in helping to optimise assets and transition to net zero”, Enned said.

“It is concerning to see the UK trailing behind its global competitors when it comes to planned investment to modernise infrastructure, but perhaps unsurprising given long-term uncertainty in the UK in recent years.

“The research reiterates the need for this to be accompanied by specific regulatory frameworks and policies to drive down the cost of investing in digital infrastructure, and ultimately allow businesses to deploy it at scale,” he added.

🚨 Upcoming events

30 January, virtual event – NHS Digital Transformation 2025