Every baby in the UK will have their DNA tested under a new 10-year plan for the NHS.
The whole-genome sequencing will screen for hundreds of diseases and allow people to “leapfrog” killer illnesses, according to the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting.
Speaking to the Telegraph, he revealed plans to move the NHS towards a model of sickness prevention rather than treatment.
Personalised medicine, made possible through things like DNA testing, will form a big part of that plan, with £650m pledged to genomics research by the government.
“The revolution in medical science means that we can transform the NHS over the coming decade, from a service which diagnoses and treats ill health to one that predicts and prevents it,” said Mr Streeting in a statement.
“Genomics presents us with the opportunity to leapfrog disease, so we’re in front of it rather than reacting to it.”
The upcoming Life Sciences Sector Plan will be published in early July.
Newborns are currently offered a blood test when they are around five days old to check for nine rare but serious conditions.
In those blood spot tests, the baby’s heel is pricked to collect a few drops of blood on a card, but with whole genome sequencing, blood samples are typically taken from the umbilical cord shortly after birth.
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In the past, Mr Streeting has spoken about his desire to make the NHS more preventative, in order to reduce rates of serious illness and save money.
Technologies like artificial intelligence will be used by the health service to predict illness and allow treatment or medication to be offered much earlier.
“With the power of this new technology, patients will be able to receive personalised healthcare to prevent ill health before symptoms begin, reducing the pressure on NHS services and helping people live longer, healthier lives,” said Mr Streeting.
Along with a greater focus on prevention, the Government’s 10-year plan is expected to include Mr Streeting’s two other “shifts” in the NHS: moving care away from hospitals to communities, and from analogue to digital services.
It follows Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ announcement that the Government would increase NHS funding by £29 billion per year in real terms over the next three years as it tries to cut waiting lists in line with its election promises.
