£113m health bid just the jab

RISHI Sunak hopes a “blueprint” inspired by the Covid vaccine rollout will help tackle the NHS’s four “healthcare missions” of cancer, obesity, mental health and addiction.

The Prime Minister announced more than £113million in funding for research into cutting-edge treatments and technologies with the aim of encouraging breakthroughs.

Each mission will be led by an independent expert as chair, with each one being chosen by an expert panel including Dame Kate Bingham, who headed the vaccine taskforce.

Record

Ministers say tackling the key challenges could save the NHS and the economy billions, with obesity alone estimated to cost £6.1billion per year.

Mr Sunak said: “The NHS faces real pressures, which is why we are investing over £100m in the technologies and medicines of the future to address some of the biggest public health challenges facing our country.

“It is hugely welcome too that the highly successful vaccine taskforce, which procured millions of life-saving vaccines in record time during the pandemic, will now become a blueprint for how we harness the best talent and expertise from around the world and drive investment in research and development.”