The medical grade AI skin cancer assessment tool is reducing the need for GP appointments and referrals, and has cut down on wait times for urgent checks.

AI medical device firm Skin Analytics and Together First, a group of general practices in Barking & Dagenham, have partnered to provide faster, more accurate access to skin cancer checks. 

Under the partnership, Skin Analytics’ medical grade AI skin cancer assessment tool has been brought into Barking Community Hospital Community Diagnostic Centre. This is reducing the need for GP appointments and referrals, and has cut down on wait times for urgent checks.

This is the first time the technology will be used in primary care in North East London. Patients will be able to book assessments online.

“Barking & Dagenham has high healthcare demand and limited specialist resources. By using AI to detect skin cancer earlier, we can reduce unnecessary hospital visits and get urgent cases seen sooner. This is a game-changer for our community,” said Craig Nikolic, chief executive officer at Together First. 

Autonomous AI system 

Skin Analytics’s tool – called DERM – is the first autonomous AI system for skin cancer detection. It can analyse moles and skin lesions for signs of cancer without needing a doctor to review the case first. The AI has been trained on a large dataset of skin images, allowing it to rule out cancer with 99.8% accuracy. This exceeds the typical 98.9% achieved by dermatologists.

DERM has been used in NHS pathways that have assessed over 145,000 NHS patients, detecting more than 14,000 cases of skin cancer. In existing NHS deployments, it has reduced the number of urgent in-person dermatologist appointments by up to 95%, ensuring that specialists focus on the most at-risk patients.

The AI analyses the lesion and provides an immediate recommendation to healthcare assistants on whether a patient can be quickly discharged (for benign lesions) or whether a specialist referral is needed.

If the AI determines a lesion is not cancerous, patients can avoid hospital visits entirely and be discharged, or be treated for other skin conditions within the community. On the other hand, patients flagged as at risk can be fast-tracked for treatment to the care of dermatologists.

“Early diagnosis is critical in saving lives from skin cancer, but long wait times mean many patients are left in limbo. By bringing DERM into GP surgeries, we’re making fast, accurate assessments available in local communities. This is not just about technology – it’s about making sure people get the care they need, when they need it,” said Neil Daly, chief executive of Skin Analytics.