AI Skin Cancer Challenge – Phase 2 Launched
Funded by the Chief Science Office (CSO), Phase 2 has commenced of this Contracts for Innovation Challenge, which seeks to use of Artificial Intelligence to accelerate the detection of skin cancer in referrals from primary to secondary care; reducing unnecessary referrals to dermatology and improving the patient journey.
Following the success of phase 1 of the challenge in 2024, CSO has commissioned phase 2 to allow this work to continue with 2 companies successfully moving forward from phase 1: Gnosco Dermicus and WABA. Improving outcomes and experience for people accessing Health and Social Care and delivering a “Once-for-Scotland’’ approach to support a rapid diagnosis of skin cancer is a key priority for NHS Scotland, supported by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery.
Diagnosis and management of suspected skin cancer represents over 50% of a specialist dermatology service workload. Demand for dermatological care already outstrips capacity, exacerbated by vacancies across Primary and Secondary Care. Using ISD data and local NHS Board data it was estimated that:
• Of the 146,694 dermatology referrals resulting in booked appointments in Scotland in 2019-2020, 50% would be estimated to be skin lesions (73,347).
• Of those, 70% would be non-malignant (51,343), which if detected earlier in the pathway would free up clinical time and reduce anxiety for people worrying if they have skin cancer
• and 30% would be malignant (22,004), allowing earlier treatment and cure.
• Potential for releasing even 30% (15,402) of the non-malignant appointments would equate to 2567 hours, or £2,310,435 (@£150/10min outpatient appointment).
To meet demand, a new pathway of care, integrating existing expert healthcare professionals with validated AI solutions, is being developed using test beds within NHS Scotland
The challenge solutions aim to, within redesigned patient pathways:
• Increase the speed of diagnosing skin cancer from images with referral data received by specialist dermatology services from GP Practices and community centres;
• Allow improved and accelerated diagnosis of urgent potential cancer cases;
• Contribute to finding missed skin cancer diagnoses linked with the pandemic;
• Reduce the number of people now presenting with later stage skin cancer;
• Increase secondary care productivity by at least 10%;
• Reduce backlog of appointments and waiting lists across Scotland and elsewhere in the world.
The challenge ambition is to support pre-commercial experimental development, feasibility testing and evidence gathering, to enable future commercial procurement across NHS Scotland; which ultimately will to lead accelerated detection and diagnosis of skin cancer and better use of constrained healthcare resources.
The challenge will allow companies access to a wealth of rich data, and opportunities to collaborate with clinical, technical and commercial experts, to further develop and refine their products and shape their bring to market strategies.