In October 2022, NHS England published Accelerating Genomic Medicine in the NHS, the first NHS genomics strategy. The strategy included a plan to establish ‘NHS Genomic Networks of Excellence’ as part of its commitment to provide a world-leading NHS Genomic Medicine Service (GMS) which provides cutting-edge benefits for patients in the NHS.
NHS England is now funding eight innovative networks to develop the evidence and model of adoption for cutting edge genomic advances and technology applications that will be transformative for patients.
The NHS Genomic Networks of Excellence are designed to be partnerships between the NHS, academia, the third sector and industry to leverage expertise and resources from the broader genomics ecosystem, and to ensure there is a route towards rapid informing commissioning decisions.
The North West Genomic Medicine Service Alliance will lead on the Pharmacogenomic and Medicines Optimisation NHS Genomic Network of Excellence, nationally across England. We are also co-leads for the rare and inherited disease, and circulating tumour biomarker testing networks.
Following a rigorous process of expressions of interest and business case submissions, reviewed by NHS England Genomics Unit, NHS England national clinical directors, national specialty advisors, the Office for Life Sciences, Genomics England and other key stakeholders, eight networks of excellence have been established in the following areas:
Almost half of all UK adults regularly take prescription medicines and the NHS’s annual budget for medicines is approximately £17.4 billion per year, with over 1.1 billion items prescribed annually. One approach to addressing adverse or ineffective medication reactions is to leverage knowledge of an individual’s genetic information to support medicines optimisation, better informing medicine selection and dosing, a concept known as pharmacogenetics.
This NHS Genomic Network of Excellence will develop the rollout of pharmacogenomics and medicines optimisation in the NHS, including furthering the rollout in primary care.
This NHS Genomic Network of Excellence aligns with the Manchester NIHR BRC, NIHR Academic Health Science Network (AHSNs), industry partners and a Horizon 2020 Grant.
Pharmacogenomics: Future Prospects in the NHS
The Alliance, in collaboration with The British Pharmacological Society and the national UK Pharmacogenetics & Stratified Medicine Network (UKPGx) held an event in Liverpool, called 'Pharmacogenomics: Future Prospects in the NHS'. The event was recorded and available to watch via the links below.
Further information is available from NHS England here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/genomics/nhs-genomic-networks-of-excellence/
Education and training resources
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