Investment in innovation
Building healthier communities
Research and innovation help us develop new treatments and improve diagnosis, treatment and care. They help us develop new technologies and therapies, and give local people the opportunity to take part in clinical research and benefit from breakthroughs.
In 2024/25, more than 25,000 people took part in 2,000 clinical research studies at the Trust, contributing to advances in areas like food allergies and lung cancer treatments. These discoveries improve lives. Investment in innovation creates skilled jobs and training opportunities, encouraging new business start-ups that support the local economy and drive prosperity of our local neighbourhoods.
Our commitment to innovation
We’re working with NHS, university, research and industry partners to develop new healthcare treatments and technologies.
- The Centre for Innovation, Transformation and Improvement (CITI) brings together our healthcare staff with companies, non-profit organisations and members of the public to tackle the most pressing healthcare challenges.
- The London Institute for Healthcare Engineering at St Thomas’ is developing leading-edge digital and medical technologies to improve diagnosis, treatment and care.
- The AI Centre is developing AI platforms and tools to help clinicians speed up and improve diagnosis and care for patients.
- With our partners, we are also developing exciting plans close to our hospital sites at both Guy’s and St Thomas’ that will ensure we are at the forefront of medical research and innovation for years to come.
Read about SC1, Health and Life Sciences Innovation District
Read about a new life sciences hub for central London
How our innovation benefits patients
At the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals, we're using technology to speed up manual processes. The homecare pharmacy team automated their invoicing, reducing each invoice by 4 minutes and saving pharmacists 22 hours a week.
This use of robotic process automation is allowing staff to spend more time on patient-focused tasks, such as following up with patients who have missed medicines deliveries.
We're also making the most of artificial intelligence (AI). A clinical trial is using AI to speed up 20-week pregnancy scans by almost half. These scans look for signs of different conditions in a baby and can be a worrying time for expectant parents.
Using AI-assisted scans can maintain accuracy and reliability while freeing up staff to spend time with parents.
Ashleigh from north-west London was one of the first expectant parents to take part in the trial. Early diagnosis of her son Lennox’s heart disease allowed doctors to plan lifesaving surgery within 2 weeks of his birth.
Ashleigh said: "I am so glad to have participated in this trial as I want to support anything that can help save children’s lives through faster and earlier diagnoses of conditions."
The AI tool has been developed by a company called Fraiya, a collaboration by King's College London, Guy's and St Thomas' and King’s College Hospital supported through The London Institute for Healthcare Engineering (LIHE).