Diagnostics: Building capacity and capability in the UK

Over 1.5 billion diagnostic tests are carried out in the NHS each year. These diagnostics, which include medical images, pathology tests and genomic tests, are crucial to the detection and diagnosis of disease and guiding subsequent treatment in a targeted way. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of the diagnostics sector and the need to increase testing capacity and capability to tackle current and future health challenges. As healthcare systems transition towards a greater emphasis on prevention and early detection, diagnostics will become an increasingly important component to ensuring good health for the nation. This will require innovative approaches to both the development of new diagnostic tools, and in how we support their adoption and delivery into the healthcare system.

This event follows the Academy’s FORUM workshop on ‘Building a sustainable UK diagnostics sector’, and will bring together scientists from industry and academia, experts from the wider scientific community and patients with lived experience to discuss how to build the UK’s diagnostics capacity and capability. Speakers will explore successful case studies of novel emerging technologies in a variety of diagnostic modalities. The meeting will finish with a panel discussing the challenges and opportunities around launching new diagnostic products into the healthcare system.

This event is free and open to the public. A full programme is available on the Royal Society's webpage and will be updated as speakers are confirmed.

Contact the FORUM team for more information.

About the conference series

This meeting forms part of the Academy of Medical Sciences' FORUM programme and the Royal Society's Transforming our Future series.

The Academy's FORUM programme brings together industry, academia and the NHS, and the charity, regulatory and wider healthcare sectors. It provides an independent platform to bring together leaders from across the life sciences sector to discuss scientific opportunities, technology trends, translational challenges and strategic choices in healthcare.

The Royal Society’s Transforming our Future meetings are unique, high-level events that address scientific and technical challenges of the next decade and bring together leading experts from wider scientific community, industry, government and charities. The meetings are organised with the support of the Royal Society Science, Industry and Translation Committee.

*Image credit: Sasaton Krungsee