The latest innovations in healthcare, including an AI-powered executive MRI screening suite, a virtual dermatology pathway, a GP-led corporate wellness network, and the UK’s first smart occupancy ventilation system.
Phoenix Hospital Group launches AI-powered MRI health screening for executives
Independent healthcare provider Phoenix Hospital Group has launched a new suite of executive health assessments, incorporating Siemens Healthineers’ Deep Resolve MRI technology. Operating from London’s Harley Street Health District, the service is designed to meet a demand for health screening and rapid diagnostics.
The initiative specifically targets busy professionals and time-poor individuals seeking quicker access to preventative healthcare to identify potential medical concerns at an earlier stage.
By integrating this advanced image reconstruction and acceleration technology into its MRI screening pathway, the hospital group can deliver ultra-fast, high-resolution scans. The system sharpens image quality and significantly reduces the time patients spend inside the scanner without compromising diagnostic detail. Furthermore, the shorter scan times help to minimise patient movement during imaging, which improves overall scan accuracy and reduces the operational need for clinicians to perform repeat scans.
At the highest level, the group’s executive lifestyle health assessment provides a comprehensive preventative evaluation incorporating advanced cardiovascular risk profiling, body composition analysis and cognitive assessments, concluding with a personalised health report. To support this advanced technological pathway, a dedicated personal concierge guides each client through booking, diagnostics and virtual follow-up consultations.
The launch is a continuation of Phoenix Hospital Group’s investment in diagnostic technology as it expands private preventative healthcare across London, Essex, Hertfordshire, and Kent.
Healix Health enhances skin cancer screening service with Circle Health Group
Independent healthcare trust provider Healix Health has improved its specialist virtual skin cancer screening service in partnership with private hospital operator Circle Health Group.
The upgraded pathway builds upon an initial collaboration launched in 2024, which provides Healix members with an improved dermatology assessment. The virtual service is integrated with Circle Health Group’s network of independent hospitals, guaranteeing rapid access to face-to-face clinical appointments if a patient requires further medical investigation.
Following clinical approval for the virtual pathway, members receive a home screening kit containing a specialist smartphone, a dermoscopic lens and access to a digital platform provided by Skin Analytics. This combination is designed to improve image quality and facilitate faster clinical review. Customers can securely capture and submit high-resolution images of up to three moles, lesions, or skin changes for assessment.
The submitted images are reviewed by a GMC-registered dermatologist, with patients receiving their results and guidance on next steps through the digital platform within an average of one working day. If further clinical investigation is deemed necessary, the patient is contacted within two working days to arrange a face-to-face appointment at a Circle Health Group facility. While the service initially focuses on suspicious moles and skin cancer detection, there are plans to evolve the pathway to encompass broader dermatology support for a wider range of skin health concerns.
“Cancer is one of the biggest cost drivers in corporate healthcare schemes, so a key focus for us is ensuring we can offer our clients an exceptional cancer pathway that supports early detection as well as treatment,” said Ian Talbot, chief executive of Healix Health.
Emerald partners with Epassi UK to roll out preventive health platform
Preventive health platform Emerald has partnered with fitness and health network Epassi UK to offer access to its GP-led health solution for 12 million employees.
The collaboration will enable businesses across the UK and Ireland to provide staff with a platform that helps identify early health risk signals and facilitates ongoing private GP support. The initiative aims to address declining workplace wellness by offering a proactive alternative to reactive absence management, directly tackling issues that impact corporate performance.
The clinician-founded and Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered platform combines in-clinic laboratory screening with ongoing clinical oversight and a consolidated digital interface. By centralising laboratory results, medical history and data from wearable devices or fitness apps, Emerald allows private GPs to review metrics such as sleep and activity levels. Supported by Innovate UK and various venture investors, the platform has already served thousands of UK members by replacing fragmented wellness benefits with a holistic tracking ecosystem that moves beyond a standard test-and-forget approach.
Under the terms of the agreement, Emerald will be integrated into Epassi UK’s flexible benefits technology via HealthiFlex and MyHealthDiscounts, offering tiered options tailored to varying employer requirements. Alongside clinical screening and medical support, the two firms plan to launch educational initiatives, webinars and in-person corporate sessions covering longevity, stress, weight management and women’s health. The rollout marks an expansion for Epassi UK, which serves 2,500 clients and recently extended its European reach through the acquisition of the employee benefits platform Zest.
“Demand for healthcare support is growing and is now a non-negotiable in modern workplaces,” said Emma Vivo, merchants director at Epassi UK. “We believe the future of employee health benefits is connected, personalised and proactive. That’s exactly why we’re excited to partner with Emerald to boost access to preventive healthcare solutions.”
Smart occupancy control system installed at Birmingham Children’s Hospital
The UK’s first installation of a smart occupancy-based control technology has been completed in an emergency operating theatre at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Delivered by adi Intelligent Buildings, the project is designed to showcase how real-time occupancy data can improve theatre energy efficiency while maintaining critical ventilation standards.
Emergency theatres must typically be maintained in a permanent state of operational readiness, meaning air handling units and plant often run continuously to ensure clinical safety, which results in elevated energy consumption and high running costs.
To address this challenge, adi Intelligent Buildings worked alongside the hospital’s estates and engineering teams to install Distech Controls’ Resense Move technology. Originally developed for commercial environments, the solution was specifically adapted for healthcare use using AI-powered thermal sensing. The technology goes beyond basic presence detection by identifying real-time occupancy levels through precise people counting while fully respecting occupant privacy. This data feeds into the Building Management System (BMS), enabling the system to respond more precisely to space usage.
The control strategy has been configured to support the hospital’s ventilation, ensuring that safety-critical air change rates and pressure regimes are maintained whenever the theatre is occupied or preparing for use. When the theatre is completely vacant, the system reduces plant operation, allowing the Trust to eliminate unnecessary energy expenditure without compromising clinical safety.
Early modelling indicates a significant reduction in energy demand, with projected savings of 35,000 kWh a year across theatres operating continuous ventilation systems.
Following the success of this installation, adi Intelligent Buildings is now working with the Trust to look at opportunities to scale the technology across additional theatres at both Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Birmingham Women’s Hospital.
The same occupancy-driven approach can also be configured for wards, treatment rooms and other clinical environments where ventilation demand and energy use fluctuate throughout the day.
