Unlocking London’s health data potential: Insights from industry leaders

Life Sciences Week (LLS) ran from 16–21 November 2025, bringing together leaders to explore innovation in London. 

As part of London Life Sciences Week, our CEO, Dr Rishi Das-Gupta, chaired an expert panel exploring how London can harness its unique health data assets to accelerate innovation and improve patient care. The discussion brought together leaders from across healthcare, life sciences, and regulation, including Bob Klaber (Imperial College Healthcare Trust), Anita Charlesworth (Health Foundation & NWL ICB), Angela McFarlane (IQVIA), Ed Middleton (MHRA), Andrew Miles (Our Future Health), and Professor Ian Abbs (Healthcare Data for London).

Out of the discussions came five key points to ensure London builds on its strengths of diversity of thought, industry and academia to attract innovation and implementation that benefits the whole country.

Anita Charlesworth opened with a clear message: there is a strong appetite across the system to work differently. Planned reforms in procurement and regulation aim to create a smoother path to market for innovation. The goal is not just adopting new technologies but using them to transform care delivery. Success will depend on being a good partner for implementation and ensuring commissioning processes enable rapid adoption.

Professor Ian Abbs highlighted the London Secure Data Environment (SDE) as a game-changing asset. Acting under public mandate, this platform enables Londoners’ data to be used for care improvement, future planning, and research. Four major projects, focused on cardiovascular disease, children and young people’s mental health, antimicrobial resistance, and cancer, are starting. For a global city representing extraordinary diversity, a single front door to health data offers unparalleled opportunities to benefit citizens.

Angela McFarlane challenged the audience to confront cultural barriers of mistrust, scepticism, and cynicism as they slow collaboration with life sciences. “We can’t spend three years waiting for a yes,” she warned, noting that other regions like Scotland and Manchester are moving faster. Real-world evidence studies require timely access to data, including secondary care records, to deliver meaningful insights. Without this, innovation risks stalling.

Ed Middleton emphasised that data marks an inflexion point for regulation. Emerging technologies such as AI and personalised medicine demand robust post-market surveillance. Access to real-world data through platforms like the NHS App could allow regulators to ease pre-market requirements while ensuring safety. “The better your brakes, the faster you can go,” he said, underscoring how strong data systems enable faster innovation.

London boasts assets any city would envy. From world-class academic institutions, NHS partners, and a rich life sciences ecosystem. The challenge, as Ian Abbs put it, is to “put those assets together to benefit the people we serve, but at a much greater rate.” Andrew Miles echoed this, urging stakeholders to view London as a test bed for innovation, while Bob Klaber reminded the group to keep citizens at the heart of the journey, creating pull-through engagement.

The takeaway?

London has the data, talent, and ambition to lead globally in health innovation. The next step is reducing friction, through cultural change, streamlined procurement, and shared commitment, to turn potential into impact.