Innovative technologies like AI will give a boost to cancer treatments in the UK as a raft of new therapies are trialled in the UK.

New partnerships backed by public and private sector investment will trial new ways to tackle cancer and other life-threatening diseases with faster diagnoses and better treatments, deploying innovative technologies and approaches.

The new deals could unleash a plethora of new medical tech products onto the global market, including more flexible medical scanners and an AI tool to help spot lung cancer sooner.

Medical technologies like these not only offer the hope of a longer, healthier life, but also drive economic growth through the UK’s life sciences industry.

Already contributing £108 billion to the UK economy, the life sciences industry drove £800 million in foreign direct investment into the UK in 2023, and supports around 300,000 jobs up and down the country.

The MedTech sector is also booming, supporting more than 138,000 jobs and exporting more than £5.6bn in products annually, according to the UK government.

Adoption of medical technologies is also critical to building an NHS that is match-fit for the future, as emphasised in the findings of the recent Darzi Review. This independent report laid bare the current problems facing the NHS, including the fact that the cancer survival rates in England are lagging far behind other countries.

The package of investment is set to play a crucial role in the government’s plans to address these challenges and rebuild and reform the NHS, which will prioritise the adoption of innovative technologies and approaches and identify ways to do things differently across the health service in order to provide a better service for patients.

“Cancer is a disease that has brought pain, misery and heartbreak to every family in the country, including my own,” science and technology secretary Peter Kyle said.

“But through Government working in partnership with the NHS, researchers, and business, we can harness science and innovation to bring the detection and treatment of this horrendous disease firmly in to the 21st century, keeping more families together for longer.

“The UK’s scientists, researchers and captains of industry have brilliant ideas that aren’t just going to boost our health – they’ll boost our economy too, helping to build a virtuous circle for more investment in both health and research which will ultimately drive up living standards.”

The new tech deal comes as UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) announces a £118m fund that will create five new hubs across the country, from Glasgow to Bristol, to help develop new health technologies.

The funding will be split between Government funding and partner support in an effort to encourage the private sector to kickstart the economy and support the futureproofing of the NHS.

The Hubs will work in intimate partnership with the private sector, with experts at UCL developing scanners to improve cancer surgery, delivering their research together with both large MedTech multinationals and British start-ups, for example.

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Further, the International Investment Summit, taking place in October, will see the UK government form a new partnership with business to grow our economy through more high quality, long-term investment and innovation.

“As a cancer survivor, I know how vital an early cancer diagnosis and the latest treatments are,” health and social care secretary, Wes Streeting, said.

“This investment will not only save lives, but also secure Britain’s status as a powerhouse for life sciences and medical technology.

“When we combine the care of the NHS and the genius of our country’s leading scientific minds, we can develop life changing treatments for patients and help get Britain’s economy booming.”

New medical technology and treatments that could eventually be brought to market include training AI models in diagnosing cancer via a new cross-NHS data network, and new methods for real-time monitoring, and developing cheaper and more useable scanners for early cancer detection.