Patients and healthcare providers are set to benefit from a new era in cancer treatment as the UK Government slashes red tape to unleash life-saving innovation.
NHS patients will be the first in Europe to benefit from a ground-breaking, non-invasive liver cancer treatment, as the government’s Plan for Change slashes burdensome red tape and drives innovation, establishing Britain’s role as a medical technology powerhouse.
Using ultrasound technology, the device, developed by US-based company HistoSonics, destroys tumours without surgery, scalpels, or radiation, with minimal damage to surrounding organs.
Patients stand to benefit from faster recovery times, potentially higher survival rates, fewer potentially dangerous complications, and shorter hospital stays. All this helps reduce wait times for others, marking a new era in cancer treatment.
The new cancer treatment delivers unlimited benefits
Ongoing research is exploring the potential of the new cancer treatment to transform other hard-to-reach tumours – including kidney and pancreatic cancers – bringing hope to even more NHS patients in the future.
Treatment is delivered via a single short session, potentially taking no longer than 30 minutes, with limited or no pain, a quick recovery, and can be performed as a day case.
Available through the UK’s Innovative Devices Access Pathway programme, a government-funded scheme designed to accelerate the introduction of cutting-edge health innovations to the market, NHS patients can benefit from technology years earlier than planned.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Through our Plan for Change, we are slashing red tape, so game-changing new treatments reach the NHS front line quicker, transforming healthcare.
“Our common-sense approach to regulation will streamline approval processes so countless more patients are liberated from life-limiting conditions.”
First patients to be treated this summer
The new cancer treatment, called histotripsy, is being introduced at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, part of the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), with the first NHS patients being treated using the game-changing device this summer.
The technology was procured and installed thanks to a generous donation from the Li Ka Shing Foundation to the University of Cambridge, which has been a longstanding supporter of cancer research at the University.
“Histotripsy is an exciting new technology that will make a huge difference to patients,” stated Roland Sinker, Chief Executive of Cambridge University Hospitals.
“By offering this non-invasive, more targeted treatment, we can care for more people as outpatients and free up time for surgeons to treat more complex cases.
“The faster recovery times mean patients will be able to return to their normal lives more quickly, which will also reduce pressure on hospital beds, helping us ensure that patients can receive the right treatment at the right time.”
Securing the UK’s position as a global health tech leader
The Government’s Plan for Change is focused on securing the UK’s position as a global tech powerhouse, including in healthcare, which fosters innovation to transform the lives of working people and deliver a decade of national renewal.
The move delivers on the government’s commitment to tackle bureaucracy that blocks investment and regulatory complexity, which has previously stifled growth.
