New Innovative Technology to Cut NHS Waiting Lists

A £30 million investment will help the NHS cut waiting lists, speed up diagnosis, and improve treatment outcomes.

00:24 06 October 2023

A £30 million new investment is earmarked to help the NHS better serve its patients, the Government has recently confirmed. 

The funding will be used to introduce innovative technology designed to cut wait times, speed up diagnosis, and deliver new and improved ways to treat patients. A number of ideas being considered include the use of wearable devices to monitor chronic conditions at home and establishing virtual wards to help care for patients remotely. 

Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, 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."