NHS England South East is deploying Skin Analytics' autonomous artificial intelligence platform, DERM, across all 18 NHS trusts in the region from autumn 2026. The initiative will extend access to AI-assisted skin cancer screening to approximately nine million additional people, representing the NHS's largest deployment of autonomous medical AI to date.
Developed by UK-based Skin Analytics, DERM uses AI to assess suspicious skin lesions and determine whether patients require specialist dermatology evaluation. The technology holds Class III CE certification for autonomous use and operates within NHS clinical safety, security, and data governance requirements.
Already deployed across 25 NHS trusts, DERM has assessed more than 250,000 patients and identified over 25,000 cancers, subsequently confirmed through histopathology. According to Skin Analytics, clinical studies and post-market surveillance indicate that the platform detects approximately 98% of skin cancers and correctly rules out cancer in 99.5% of cases.
By identifying benign lesions during initial triage, DERM enables appropriate patients to be discharged without requiring an outpatient dermatology appointment. Higher-risk cases are prioritised for specialist assessment, potentially reducing diagnostic delays.
Modelling for the three-year South East deployment suggests that up to one-third of urgent suspected skin cancer referrals could be discharged before their first outpatient consultation. This could release approximately 13,500 consultant hours annually, equivalent to 27,000 additional appointments.
Neil Daly, founder and CEO of Skin Analytics, commented: “We've helped more than 250,000 patients find more than 25,000 cancers over six years, and this partnership takes a proven technology to a large part of the UK.”
The deployment supports the government's 10-Year Health Plan, which prioritises digital transformation and improved access to healthcare services.
Daghni Rajasingam, Regional Chief Medical Officer for NHS England South East, emphasised that integrating AI with clinical expertise could accelerate reassurance for lower-risk patients while directing specialist resources towards complex cases.
The regional expansion follows Northern Ireland's approval of DERM for autonomous skin cancer assessment across its population of 1.9 million.
The initiative demonstrates how AI-enabled triage is being incorporated into established cancer pathways to address increasing referral volumes and dermatology workforce constraints.
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