In a recent address at the launch of Curia’s “Transforming Care, Saving Lives: Revitalising UK Life Sciences and Diagnostics” report in partnership with Revvity, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, Medical Director of NHS England, highlighted the United Kingdom’s exceptional life sciences industry and its integral partnership with the NHS. In his speech, Powis shined a light on the key ways the public, private and charity sectors come together to foster world leading innovation.
Powis began his speech by stating, “the life sciences industry and infrastructure in this country, I think is fantastic. I think we would all recognise that it is really one of the powerhouse industries and sectors that the United Kingdom has, and we at the NHS, specifically NHS England, absolutely recognise that.”

A Powerhouse of Collaboration & Partnerships
A central theme to Powis’ speech was the key ways the NHS, academia and the life science industry work together to drive better outcomes.
Powis commented on the key ways that this happens, stating:
“There are many examples of great relationships between the NHS and Universities. If you go to many of our leading universities, you will see health campuses and strategic partnerships with NHS trusts with large businesses, and big pharma companies. If you go to Cambridge, you will see the Cambridge campus where there is research pharma and the NHS all co-located.”
In his speech, Powis also focused on the crucial role that SMEs play in the life sciences sector. Powis noted that “innovation comes from many small businesses, many SMEs. I was in India the week before last, leading a trade mission for the government to India. We took 13, mostly companies, a few NHS trusts to go and show their innovations to colleagues in India. And I was struck at just how much innovation was on show and how much interest there was. So we work with small businesses. We have the NHS Innovation Accelerator program, and the Clinical Entrepreneur Program, which is specifically aimed at supporting small businesses”.
Powis also argued that we can go further in maximising partnerships across sectors. Powis urged stakeholders to read a recent report by Roland Sinker, commissioned to evaluate the NHS’s innovation ecosystem. In that report Sinker recommended greater alignment in regulations between NHS Trusts and the private sector, with the hope of giving companies the confidence in the UK markets, this is also a key recommendation in Curia’s report – arguing UK regulators should capitalise on new ‘regulatory freedoms’ post-Brexit to expedite the delivery of cutting-edge products to patients.
Breakthroughs in Genomics
There was no better example of the effective ways in which collaboration can improve patient outcomes than with the creation of the NHS Genomic Medicine Service.
Established in 2018, the service has made significant strides in integrating genomic testing into clinical practice. Powis informed the audience that “in 2023-24, the GMS delivered 810,000 genomic tests covering over 700 rare and inherited diseases and 200 clinical cancer indications.”
Another key service Powis highlighted was the NHS Genomic Networks of Excellence, which Powis championed for its work in helping to diagnose cancer early and with less invasive methods, which showcases how these newly created partnerships are working to improve patient outcomes.
Final Thought
This reflection on the quality and potential growth of the life sciences industry cannot have come at a more crucial time for the sector, as it will be these key partnerships highlighted by Powis that will be central to improving patient outcomes in the NHS, alongside growth in the life sciences sector as a whole which will play a key role if the UK government is to succeed in its mission to see an improvement in the UK economy.
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