Hi-tech drones will fly life-saving cancer drugs from Portsmouth to Isle of Wight in ambitious new trial by NHS

Health bosses hope the new courier service will help to one day speed up the delivery of vital medicines, eventually leading to ‘same-day delivery’ orders for drugs and medical kit anywhere in the country.

The pilot scheme will see a drone deliver chemotherapy drugs from the pharmacy at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust to St Mary’s Hospital on the Isle of Wight.

The drone will cut delivery times to the Isle of Wight from four hours to 30 minutes, as one flight will replace two car journeys and one hovercraft or ferry journey per delivery.

Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, announced the pilot as the health service marked its 74th birthday today.

She said: ‘Delivering chemo by drone is another extraordinary development for cancer patients and shows how the NHS will stop at nothing to ensure people get the treatment they need as promptly as possible – while also cutting costs and carbon admissions.

‘From a smartwatch to manage Parkinson’s to revolutionary prostate treatments and making the most expensive drug in the world available to NHS patients it has been another amazing year of innovation in the way the health service delivers treatment and care.

Darren Cattell, chief executive of Isle of Wight NHS Trust, was excited about the new drone scheme and said: ‘We are still at a relatively early stage but the use of drones to transport medical supplies is a concept that has radical and positive implications for both the NHS and for patients across the UK as well as the Isle of Wight. It is great to be part of this innovative project.’

Health secretary Sajid Javid added: ‘I want England to become a world leader in cancer care and using the latest technology to deliver chemo by drone means patients will have quicker, fairer access to treatment no matter where they live.

‘As the NHS turns 74, innovations like this will help improve patients’ access to lifesaving care while ensuring the NHS is making the best use of the record funding we’re investing to bust the Covid backlogs.’