An app which allows people to monitor themselves for early signs of skin cancer has been selected to join the NHS Innovation Accelerator.
SkinVision will be spread across the NHS over the next three years, in a move that could allow patients to be diagnosed and treated earlier.
Developed in the Netherlands, SkinVision enables the user to take a photo of their skin spots via a smartphone camera. Within 30 seconds they will receive a risk indication on skin cancer risk level ranging low, medium or high. In the case of a high-risk rating, the user will receive advice within 48 hours from SkinVision advising them on the next steps to take.
Erik de Heus, CEO of SkinVision, said: “We are very proud that SkinVision is able to provide support to the NHS in saving many people's life whilst making the health system more effective and reducing costs.
“We know from studies conducted here in the Netherlands that 70% of visits to GP related to suspicious skin spots are unnecessary, by the use of the app it is hoped that this number can be drastically reduced, freeing up GPs to run their practice more efficiently and to see more patients. By bringing down the cost of diagnosing sufferers and by ensuring that they enter the health system earlier, we bring down costs and help ensure that money can be diverted to fund new treatment such as immunotherapy and free up clinicians to work more effectively.”
Incidence of skin cancer is increasing rapidly, with an estimated 159.000 people diagnosed with some form of the disease in 2015, with over 3.600 related deaths in the UK. It is predicted that 1 in 5 UK citizens will get some form of the disease in their lifetime.
Early detection is key for a more favourable prognosis, but most people don’t know what to look for.
The sooner skin cancer is detected, the higher the possibility of successful treatment and survival. SkinVision has over 1.2 million users globally and has contributed to the finding of 27,000 cases of skin cancer.
In the future, it is hoped local NHS groups might buy a licence for the app, enabling GPs to encourage their patients to download the App, particularly those who have had problems in the past, so they can use it free of charge.
Professor Stephen Powis, NHS medical director, said: “Right across the NHS patients are benefitting from world-beating innovations, spread as part of this programme, and now even more patients will be supported by new tools like the app which uses AI to help identify skin cancer, puts people in control of their care and enables them to get treatment as quickly as possible.”
