Nuffield Health and GE HealthCare announce £200million collaboration to install the latest AI-enabled diagnostic equipment across UK hospital network

• Multi-year agreement will deliver a major investment in innovative, AI-enabled diagnostic imaging technology that will significantly increase Nuffield Health’s diagnostic capabilities and unlock much-needed capacity and access for NHS and private paying patients.

London, United Kingdom, January 23, 2024 – Nuffield Health and GE HealthCare (Nasdaq: GEHC) have announced a £200m collaboration, which will equip Nuffield Health’s hospitals with the latest diagnostic imaging technology from GE HealthCare. With access to innovative AI-enabled systems designed to help overcome some of the biggest challenges in healthcare, the collaboration will support Nuffield Health's ambition to deliver an industry-leading diagnostic service in the UK. It is also underpinned by a shared commitment to sustainable healthcare, incorporating ongoing upgrades to energy-efficient technology as it evolves[1].

Through the 20-year Managed Equipment Service (MES) agreement, GE HealthCare will take responsibility for the ongoing acquisition, installation, maintenance, and staff training for medical technology utilised by Nuffield Health. The technologies and solutions within the agreement are aimed at providing the best possible care for patients and improving efficiencies for clinicians and other staff for years to come.

In 2025 more than 100 devices are scheduled for delivery across Nuffield Health’s national network of hospitals. Nearly 800 pieces of equipment are expected to be delivered over the course of the collaboration across imaging, ultrasound, surgery, and x-ray.

Alex Perry, CEO of Nuffield Health, commented:

“GE HealthCare is a leader in medical technology, diagnostics, and digital solutions, with more AI-assisted technology than any other supplier. Healthcare in the UK requires not only investment, but also innovation, making this a transformational partnership. With ongoing technology upgrades over the 20-year span of our agreement, our talented teams will have access to the innovative tools and technology, enabling them to deliver the highest standard of care to patients.

“As the UK’s largest healthcare charity, we are committed to playing our part in getting the nation back to better health. With NHS under sustained pressure and waiting lists at critical levels[2], this major investment will deliver cutting-edge diagnostic technology, helping to deliver faster, more accurate diagnoses, and opening up much-needed capacity to treat more people.”

Simon McGuire, Zone President, Northern & Eastern Europe at GE HealthCare, commented:

“We look forward to supporting Nuffield Health with advanced imaging technologies and solutions to assist their clinical teams in providing exceptional care and enhancing outcomes to meet the growing patient demand,” said McGuire. “This long-term collaboration is a major milestone for GE HealthCare in the UK’s independent sector, built on a customised approach to address the needs and goals of Nuffield Health, and one that is aligned to GE HealthCare’s strategy of working closely with our customers as a strategic adviser and partner to help solve health system challenges.”

GE HealthCare is a leader in AI-enabled technologies embedded in devices, solutions that provide predictive analytics across the patient journey, and at the enterprise level to streamline operations. Nuffield Health will benefit from GE HealthCare’s deep learning and AI-enabled systems, designed to help its clinicians provide faster, more accurate diagnoses, and provide critical answers for patients, sooner. 

Nuffield Health also worked alongside GE HealthCare’s Healthcare Financial Services (HFS) team on strategic areas, including technology planning, budgeting, financing and risk sharing. The agreement builds on the success of a multi-vendor servicing agreement established in 2017, in which GE HealthCare managed Nuffield Health’s entire portfolio of technology assets. The success of this agreement was the catalyst for expanding the scope and duration of the collaboration. Looking ahead, Nuffield Health and GE HealthCare will work together to navigate new challenges, explore emerging opportunities, and pioneer innovative business models such as medical fitness.

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. For example, by updating their MRI technology to GE HealthCare’s newer energy-saving models, Nuffield Health expects to save 1,448,550 KW in energy per year across their fleet of 29 MRI Scanners.
   
2. More than 1.6m people sitting on national waiting lists for diagnostic tests, and 19.9% waiting for longer than the government’s six-week target - compared with just 3.2% before the pandemic in 2019.

Nuffield Health Media Contact:

Georgina Carter
Head of Communications
077860 74908
Georgina.carter@nuffieldhealth.com

Jonathan Evans
Corporate Affairs Manager
0787 2831236
Jonathan.evans@nuffieldhealth.com

About Nuffield Health

Nuffield Health is the UK’s largest healthcare charity and has been dedicated to building a healthier nation for over 65 years. We are now at the forefront of providing exceptional healthcare and fitness support through our network of 37 hospitals and 110 fitness and wellbeing centres.

We work together as a team to help you achieve your health and wellbeing ambitions, championing free health and wellbeing programmes in local communities by giving more people the tools they need to live a healthy life. These programmes help people understand and improve their own health, from those living with joint pain, to helping rehabilitate people experiencing the long-term effects from COVID-19.

Find out more about us and our pioneering models of care: https://www.nuffieldhealth.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.