NEW FAST-TRACK NHS TEST WILL SAVE LIVES

MILLIONS of lives could be saved by a new rapid testing system set to be rolled out nationwide over the next two years.

- Chris Riches

'Hours saves lives. We lifesaving technology need to take this new to patients in the NHS'

World-first NHS genetic analysis can provide results in seven hours instead of three days.

It could see lifesaving treatment given sooner and help to reduce NHS backlogs rapidly.

The technology, tested at Guy's and St Thomas' Trust in London, involves swabs and other samples from intensive care patients with respiratory conditions being speedily swept for all known diseases including ones not under consideration.

It even identifies drugs to which patients may be resistant with data sent to the UK Health Security Agency, improving the chance of early detection of new diseases or viruses such as Covid.

A two-year pilot will expand the genomic sequencing ability across 10 hospitals in England thanks to £2.08million from the Department Science, Innovation of and Technology plus £1.3million from NHS England. The tests may later be used on patients with a wide range of symptoms and, in as little as five years, even to check people within GP surgeries.

Prof Ian Abbs, chief executive of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, warned infection is a major problem in healthcare: "The faster you can get to a diagnosis, the better the outcomes are for patients and that time is measured in minutes, not in days.

"Hours saves lives. We need to take this new lifesaving technology to the patients in the NHS."

One big hope is the trial will more quickly spot patients whose infections can lead to sepsis. Without prompt care, they risk organ failure and death. The UK sis Trust says there are 48,000 sepsis some-related deaths annually.