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NHS AI trial to diagnose prostate cancer up to a month faster
The NHS will test an AI-powered ‘one-day diagnostics’ service for prostate cancer that could transform diagnosis and save some men up to a month of waiting. The new ‘one stop shop’ pilot, funded by NHS England, will use artificial intelligence (AI) to interpret MRI scans for men with suspected prostate cancer, helping spot lesions in a matter of minutes. The AI tool is being trialled at up to 15 NHS hospitals, with a pilot set to begin at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust early next year of a new ‘rapid diagnosis’ pathway, to offer all investigations within 1 day, with around 100 men expected to benefit. If a scan is found to have a high-risk of cancer
by the AI software, it will be sent immediately to a radiologist for priority review and the patient will be booked in for a biopsy the same day. This gives doctors everything they need to either
potentially give an all clear the same day or confirm a cancer diagnosis a few days later following review.
The aim of trialling this faster diagnosis service in Leeds using the AI tool Pi, developed by Lucida Medical, is to substantially increase the numbers of patients having suspected cancer diagnosed or ruled-out within 28-days. If the trial is successful and the pathway can be rolled out widely across the NHS in future, it could lead to thousands being diagnosed and treated sooner. In other sites, the tool – which research suggests can spot 95% of cancers – will be used in 10,000 scans to assist radiologist reporting of cancers and the decision-making process for next steps. This includes recommendations for active surveillance, biopsy and treatment planning, if appropriate. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in UK men, making up over a quarter of all male cancer diagnoses. Over 56,000 new cases are diagnosed in England each year and on average, more than 12,000 men die from prostate cancer each year in the UK.
NHS rolls out first long-acting injection to prevent HIV
Around 1,000 people at risk of HIV will be offered a new long-acting injection on the NHS if they cannot have pills to protect them from the virus. The rollout of this preventative therapy
takes NHS England one step closer to its goal of eliminating HIV transmissions in the next five years. The cabotegravir injection will be available on the NHS for people who cannot have pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) tablets, in the coming months, following approval by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. The new preventative therapy, given every two months, will be provided at sexual health clinics across the country. Around 1,000 patients who are unable to have oral PrEP will benefit from this new long-lasting injection. PrEP drugs can prevent people who are HIV- negative from acquiring the virus. If a person is exposed to it, the injection works by blocking an enzyme called integrase, which HIV needs to make copies of itself. This stops the virus from multiplying in the body and becoming an established infection. The announcement comes as the NHS in
England aims to become the first country in the world to end HIV transmissions by 2030. Dr Michael Brady, National Advisor for LGBT+ Health at NHS England, said: “This long-acting injection is a significant addition to our HIV prevention strategies – giving us a powerful new option for people at risk of HIV who cannot have oral PrEP tablets, and helping ensure everyone who needs PrEP can access it. “We have made huge progress in HIV
treatment and prevention in the last decade, and the addition of injectable PrEP will bring us a step closer to our goal of ending HIV transmissions by 2030.”
Major NHS update brings menopause into routine health checks
Millions of women across England will benefit from the menopause being included in routine NHS health checks for the first time - marking a landmark step forward in women’s healthcare. Routine appointments will now tackle one of
society’s most overlooked health challenges, ensuring women experiencing perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms get the right information and support, while also raising awareness earlier, so more women recognise the signs and seek
help sooner if needed. The addition of dedicated questions to the NHS Health Check about the menopause - free assessments offered to eligible adults aged 40 to 74 every 5 years - will benefit nearly 5 million women. Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes
Streeting, said: “Women have been suffering in silence for far too long and haven’t been encouraged to open up about the symptoms they’re experiencing. This often means they’re
left to navigate menopause alone, with very little support - all because of an outdated health system that fails to acknowledge how serious it can be. No one should have to grit their teeth and just get on with what can be debilitating symptoms or be told that it’s simply part of life. This government is overhauling women’s healthcare and giving those experiencing menopause and perimenopause the visibility and support they have long been asking for.”
December 2025 I
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