The Prime Minister has pledged £200million to go towards replacing old cancer screening equipment with new technology.
The announcement from Boris Johnson revealed funding will provide over 300 diagnostic machines in hospitals across England with the aim of improving the quality of screening and speed of diagnosis, with doctors finding the machines more effective and easier to use.
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, said: “I want to see the way we fight cancer in the NHS transformed, so we can confront this cruel disease with the best facilities to give our family, friends and colleagues the greatest chance.
“I’m determined to get cutting-edge equipment into hospitals across the country so that clinical staff are equipped with the best technology available for patients.”
The new machines will be given to more than 80 trusts across the country and will be AI enabled.
NHS England chief executive, Simon Stevens, added: “Kickstarting much needed investment in scanners, diagnostics and cancer radiotherapy will both speed up treatment and improve patient outcomes.
“Improvements in detection and treatment of killer diseases mean thousands more people surviving cancer and other major conditions. Making screening more convenient and bringing in cutting-edge technology like AI will benefit patients in every part of England.”
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has said the money is new funding and is in addition to the £2billion which has already been committed to upgrading 20 hospitals across the country and for new equipment and AI research.
Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said: “The NHS is the best healthcare service in the world, and the treatment and care it provides is one reason cancer survival rates are at a record high.
“But too many lives are still being lost to this shattering illness. We can, must, and will do so much more for sufferers and their families.
“These new scanners will lead to quicker diagnosis, more screenings, and improved care for patients, giving brilliant NHS staff the tools they need to further boost survival rates.”