Healthcare innovations ‘has the potential to transform clinical practice’

THE West Midlands Genomic Medicine Centre is improving NHS service delivery, an independent report has found, as well as playing a key role in a transformational genomics project.

The audit by GE Finnamore showed the centre, which is based at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, delivered “impressive benefits to patients and the NHS”.

The West Midlands Academic Health Science Network (WMAHSN), which brings together industry, academia and health professionals, commissioned an independent audit to assess the centre’s progress.

Prof Dion Morton, director of the West Midlands Genomic Medicine Centre, said: “We welcome this independent report, which highlights those innovations developed by the WM GMC that are highly innovative and unique to the West Midlands.

“The report covers how the introduction of innovations not only delivers improved healthcare outcomes and other benefits for patients through adoption and diffusion of groundbreaking best practice, but also has the potential to transform clinical practice across the whole of the region.”

The centre is one of 13 across the country that are leading the way in delivering the 100,000 Genomes Project.

The initiative involves collecting and decoding 100,000 human genomes – complete sets of people’s genes – that will enable scientists and doctors to understand more about specific conditions. The project will transform diagnosis and treatment for patients with rare diseases and cancers.

The WM GMC will deliver up to 13,000 of the total number of genomes, drawing on its unique population through a collaboration of healthcare organisations.

As well as potentially affecting thousands of patients through improved diagnosis, treatment and the prediction and prevention of disease, the report found that the WM GMC is already transforming NHS service delivery.