The idea that prevention is better than cure has long been one of the central planks of health provision in the UK. And it’s certainly an idea which has gained traction in recent times. Put simply, the earlier that health problems, or the likelihood of problems developing, can be identified; the greater the chance of a cost-effective and efficient solution.

Now there is nothing new about some of the solutions; such as vaccinations to prevent certain diseases, or public information campaigns to highlight areas of concern. Where we have seen a development of these approaches is in the use of more targeted campaigns allied to a greater effectiveness in measuring outcomes. For example, a breast cancer screening campaign in February 2025 saw 32,432 visits to breast screening advice pages in the first week, an increase of 145% over the previous weekly average. Similarly, a Covid immunisation information campaign in March 2025 resulted in over half a million booster jab appointments being made in the first week.

These more targeted and measured campaigns can have a beneficial effect across the broad population stream, but new approaches are also having an impact on the health of individuals. We have previously reported on the deployment of ‘at home’ monitoring in order to avoid the necessity for regular hospital visits for long term conditions. This approach has now been taken one step further with the development of an artificial intelligence tool which can help to predict the likelihood of a patient suffering a fall.

The tool, which is said to be 97% accurate, requires patients, carers, health visitors and family members to input a range of data on an app which also is able to monitor vital signs such as blood pressure and heart rate in real time. This enables the AI tool to identify those at high risk of a fall, enabling preventative measures to be taken and preventing an estimated 2,000 falls leading to hospitalisation each day. The AI tool’s functionality is also planned be expanded in due course in order to identify illnesses such as Covid or norovirus; enabling early intervention to reduce recovery time.

With falls and fractures in those aged over 65 accounting for four million bed days and a cost of £2billion each year, it is hardly surprising that AI technology such as this is being hailed as a game changer. Commenting on the app, Dr Vin Diwakar, National Director of Transformation at NHS England said: “This AI tool is a perfect example of how the NHS can use the latest tech to keep more patients safe at home and out of hospital.”

Less technical but no less preventative, the idea of expanding the role of peripheral healthcare workers in order to undertake regular home visits is being evaluated. An early pilot scheme in Westminster saw a 10% drop in hospitalisations and a 7% drop in visits to A&E.

Adding these new initiatives into an existing mix of technological initiatives such as the use of digital patient records or the ability to outsource patient appointment bookings can further help to free up resources and streamline a healthcare delivery focused on prevention first.