The Government is committed to ensuring that clinically effective and cost-effective medical technologies are adopted more consistently across the National Health Service, so that patients can benefit from proven innovation wherever they live. The 10-Year Health Plan and Life Science Sector Plan published last year committed to expand National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisals used for branded medicines, publish guidance to introduce value-based procurement, and introduce an Innovator Passport.

The National HealthTech Access Programme was launched earlier this year to expand NICE Technology Appraisals to selected medical devices, diagnostics and digital products. The first technologies referred to NICE include capsule sponge tests to support earlier detection of oesophageal cancer and AI-assisted analysis of breast and prostate pathology images. Following publication of NICE appraisals early next year implementation plans to achieve national adoption will be confirmed. The Value Based Procurement guidance was published in June to support more consistent, evidence-based purchasing decisions focused on outcomes rather than lowest cost. The Innovator Passport is due to be launched over the coming months to enable better exchange and reuse of information to speed up local decision making.

There were 679,231 DEXA scans performed in 2025/26 in England. NHS England collects monthly diagnostics data, which includes the number of DEXA scans performed each month. This is published on the NHS.UK website.

Data is not held centrally by the Department or NHS England on the average length of time between a DEXA scan being taken and treatment for osteoporosis starting.

There were 679,231 DEXA scans performed in 2025/26 in England. NHS England collects monthly diagnostics data, which includes the number of DEXA scans performed each month. This is published on the NHS.UK website.

Data is not held centrally by the Department or NHS England on the average length of time between a DEXA scan being taken and treatment for osteoporosis starting.

Ensuring patients receive prompt diagnostic test results, including X-rays, is an important priority for the Government. NHS England guidance, published in August 2023, sets a maximum reporting timeframe of four weeks, or 28 days, from image acquisition. All National Health Service providers and imaging networks are expected to comply with this guidance and improve practice to meet the standard. Data published in July 2026 shows that 98% of radiographs were reported within 28 days in quarter four of 2025/26.

The available data shows that for the last whole quarter measured, quarter four of 2025/26, 781,000 chest X-rays (CXRs) were supported by artificial intelligence (AI) for trusts who deployed a CXR tool. This was compared to a total number of CXR performed in the NHS during that period of 2,052,110. AI-assisted CXRs represented 38.1% of the total.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published an early value assessment for this technology on 28 September 2023. The publication specifically referenced the potential for the AI Diagnostic Fund to answer the evidence gaps set out in the guidance and evidence generation plan.

Ensuring patients receive prompt diagnostic test results, including X-rays, is an important priority for the Government. NHS England guidance, published in August 2023, sets a maximum reporting timeframe of four weeks, or 28 days, from image acquisition. All National Health Service providers and imaging networks are expected to comply with this guidance and improve practice to meet the standard. Data published in July 2026 shows that 98% of radiographs were reported within 28 days in quarter four of 2025/26.

Ensuring patients receive their diagnostic test results, including dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) results quickly is a priority for the Government.

NHS England guidance, published in August 2023, sets out that imaging reports must be provided within four weeks, or 28 days, of image acquisition. All National Health Service providers and imaging networks are expected to meet this. The guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/diagnostic-imaging-reporting-turnaround-times/

Achieving this relies on good digital connectivity, IT infrastructure, home working solutions, and approved insourcing models established across imaging departments and networks. That is why the Government is investing in digital diagnostic transformation through NHS England’s Diagnostics Digital Capability Programme which ensures networks have a core set of digital capabilities to improve the quality, safety, and productivity of care.

The Government announced in March 2026 that tens of thousands of patients at risk of osteoporosis and other bone conditions are getting faster access to vital bone scans, as the Government has invested in 20 new DEXA scanners across England. This builds on the first wave of 13 scanners announced last year.

NHS England guidance sets out that imaging reports must be provided within four weeks, or 28 days, of image acquisition. All National Health Service providers and imaging networks are expected to meet this. Guidance can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/diagnostic-imaging-reporting-turnaround-times/

Ensuring patients receive their diagnostic test results quickly, including DEXA scan results, is a priority for the Government. Last year in 2025, over 21,000 extra DEXA scans were delivered compared with the previous year.

In March this year, the Government announced funding for 20 new DEXA scanners across England, supported by £2.4 million of investment. Tens of thousands of patients will benefit from faster access to bone scans as a result, helping to ensure that people with bone conditions, such as osteoporosis, get diagnosed earlier. This builds on the first wave of 13 DEXA scanners announced last year.

There are also resources in place to help support healthcare professionals in the early diagnosis of osteoporosis, such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical knowledge summary on osteoporosis and the prevention of fragility fractures.

The Royal College of General Practitioners also has an e-learning module for general practitioners on the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis, developed in collaboration with the Royal Osteoporosis Society, which is designed to support the early diagnosis of osteoporosis by highlighting which groups are at higher risk of osteoporosis and fragility fractures.

The National Health Service is using artificial intelligence (AI) in X-rays, with AI tools being deployed in multiple hospitals to act as a "second pair of eyes" for radiologists to catch conditions such as lung cancer sooner. This is part of the Government-backed AI Diagnostic Fund initiative, supported by a £21 million funding boost to 66 trusts across England, to speed up diagnoses and improve efficiency in areas like the detection of lung cancer, infections, and fractures. The Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, including Frimley Park Hospital which serves the Surrey Heath constituency, is benefitting from this funding.

Asylum seekers have access to health and social care services from point of arrival in the UK and the Home Office work closely with the NHS, local authorities and contractors to ensure that asylum seekers can access the support they need. In relation to Wethersfield, financial support is being provided to the NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board.

There are varying entitlements to secondary healthcare services across England and the devolved governments. Specific examples can be found on NHS entitlements: migrant health guide - GOV.UK.

Extensive work has been undertaken with local and national health partners including the Multi Agency Forum (MAF) to work through the specifics of healthcare provision being provided at Wethersfield. The health and social care subgroup of the MAF was set up specifically to look at how we minimise the impact on local health services and facilitate primary healthcare on site, However, in specific circumstances, residents can be required to use local NHS facilities.

OsteoSight is not a registered product with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, therefore the Government is not currently considering the use of this technology. However, we will continue to explore areas where artificial intelligence can be deployed in health and care to support clinicians, transform patient experience and improve outcomes.