The National HealthTech Access Programme will ensure faster, fairer access to innovative NHS HealthTech, such as AI diagnostics and early cancer tests, for people in England and Wales
Led by NICE, with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, the programme ensures rapid, equitable adoption of NHS health technologies. The programme will expand NICE’s technology appraisals to include medical devices, diagnostics, and digital tools, enabling high‑impact technologies such as capsule sponge tests and AI cancer diagnostics to be reimbursed and consistently available nationwide, reducing regional variation in access.
Ensuring rapid, equitable access to breakthrough NHS healthtech innovations
NICE has confirmed the first two topics for review: capsule sponge tests for detecting oesophageal cancer and AI tools for the identification of prostate and breast cancer.
The new programme forms part of a strategic open innovation approach to HealthTech, set out in the 10 Year Health Plan, to create a far better experience for patients and NHS professionals, unlocking the potential of HealthTech advances and the UK’s HealthTech sector.
“When NICE was founded 26 years ago, it set out to end the postcode lottery in access to medicines. We’re now extending that same clarity and fairness to HealthTech. These reforms mean that clinically and cost-effective medical devices, diagnostics and digital tools will start to be reimbursed and made available consistently across the NHS. This will give patients faster access to proven technologies and ensure NHS resources are spent where they make the greatest difference,” commented Professor Jonathan Benger, Chief Executive of NICE.
The National HealthTech Access Programme is one of three commitments that NICE will deliver as part of the government’s 10 Year Plan for the NHS. These are:
- Faster, fairer rollout of high-impact HealthTech.
- Updating guidance to drive smarter spending.
- Parallel decisions for faster access.
Detecting oesophageal cancer early
Oesophageal cancer is often diagnosed too late, leading to poor outcomes and significant pressure on NHS diagnostic services. Early detection is important, with early-stage disease having a 95% five-year survival rate, compared to 5-40% at advanced stages.
The new programme will begin with capsule sponge tests for oesophageal cancer. It is a small, capsule-shaped device used to detect abnormal cells associated with Barrett’s and early cancer. The capsule is swallowed and expands into a small, rough-textured sponge in the person’s stomach. The device is extracted via a string attached to the sponge. After it is removed, the cells collected from the oesophagus are tested for cells that could become cancerous.
AI for breast and prostate cancer
AI technologies can analyse images of tissue samples, supporting the diagnostic processes for suspected prostate and breast cancer, which represent two of the NHS’s largest caseloads.
The AI tools can analyse these images, highlight suspicious regions and grade tumours. This supports pathologists by reducing routine workload, improving consistency, and enabling faster prioritisation of high-risk cases.
