The NHS has partnered with tech company Apian in trials that will use drones to speed up the delivery of chemotherapy treatment.

The first of its kind trial, starting on the Isle of Wight, will use drones to fly chemo directly from the pharmacy at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust to St Mary’s Hospital, where staff will collect it before distributing it to hospital teams and patients.

According to NHS England, this will cut the usual delivery time from four hours to 30 minutes. It will also make it more convenient for patients living on the Isle of Wight who often need to travel to the mainland for treatment.

Talking about how the chemo drone will be able to support services in the Isle of Wight, the IOW NHS Trust CEO Darren Cattell said:

“The Island has a long history of innovation. We are excited to continue that tradition by utilising the latest technology to overcome the challenges we face and to provide the very best service to our patients.

“We are still at a relatively early stage but the use of drones to transport medical supplies is a concept that has radical and positive implications for both the NHS and for patients across the UK as well as the Isle of Wight. It is great to be part of this innovative project.”

Announcing the trial on the NHS’s 74th birthday, NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said:

“Delivering chemo by drone is another extraordinary development for cancer patients and shows how the NHS will stop at nothing to ensure people get the treatment they need as promptly as possible – while also cutting costs and carbon emissions.”