Day: August 25, 2025

Genetic test to prevent hearing loss in newborns to begin national rollout

A groundbreaking genetic test that reduces the risk of deafness in newborn babies is being introduced by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) as part of a national rollout funded by the Scottish Government.  

The rapid point-of-care test, which will launch in September, identifies a genetic variant that can cause permanent hearing loss when babies are treated with the common antibiotic Gentamicin.

It allows for more tailored care, with babies identified to have the variant provided with an alternative antibiotic.

The Genedrive test will start being used for babies requiring antibiotic treatment for infections within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Hospital for Children (RHC) in Glasgow next month, with the Royal Alexandra Hospital and Princess Royal Maternity Hospital to follow soon after. 

It will be rolled out to all territorial health boards with neonatal units over the next 18 months.

The initiative follows an assessment by the Chief Scientist Office-funded Accelerated National Innovation Adoption (ANIA) pathway, led by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD), and a Programme for Government commitment from the Scottish Government to provide £800,000 to support national adoption.

NHSGGC, through the West of Scotland Innovation Hub (WoSIH), recommended the test for consideration by ANIA.

It follows the ongoing UK-wide PALOH (Pharmacogenetics to Avoid Loss of Hearing) programme and an assessment by the Scottish Health Technologies Group.

Last week, Public Health Minister Jenni Minto visited the RHC neonatal unit to meet clinicians and representatives from the WoSIH, who have played a leading role in bringing the innovation to Scotland.

Ms Minto also discussed the planned national rollout with members of the CfSD.

Once fully implemented, it is anticipated that more than 3,000 newborn babies would be tested during the first year. 

The test was developed by the company Genedrive, in collaboration with researchers from Saint Mary’s Hospital, part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and The University of Manchester.

It is currently being used in 14 neonatal units across the UK, contributing to the PALOH-UK study.

NHSGGC is progressing staff training at the RHC, with the first tests scheduled for September.

Neonatal teams will be equipped to manage the testing process, adjust antibiotic treatment where necessary, and support families with confirmatory genetic testing if a positive result is found.

NHSGGC is also providing real-world data from the rollout and study to support the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)’s evidence generation recommendations, helping to refine national guidance and inform future adoption.

The rollout reflects NHSGGC’s broader commitment to harnessing digital innovation, improving access to personalised care, and shifting the balance of care to prevent harm before it occurs through its Transforming Together programme.

Dr Helen McDevitt, Consultant Neonatologist with NHSGGC and clinical lead for the PALOH-UK study at the RHC, said: “The introduction of this point-of-care genetic testing for newborn babies requiring antibiotic treatment for bacterial infection is a landmark moment for neonatal care in Scotland.

“By introducing this test, we are taking a vital step in preventing avoidable hearing loss in newborns and ensuring safer, more personalised treatment.

“We were pleased to meet Public Health Minister Jenni Minto today to discuss the rollout of this test, which will have a hugely positive impact on the lives of many people.

“Through our adoption of this test, NHSGGC will also be able to provide real-work data to support NICE in order to help inform its national guidance.”

Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “I am delighted that the Scottish Government is funding the rollout of this test across all of Scotland’s neonatal units over the next 18 months.

“I want to thank the hardworking staff at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Glasgow who I met yesterday and who showed me a demonstration of the genetic test for newborn babies.

“NHS reform in Scotland will be accelerated by scientific and technological innovation, and this Government is committed to supporting Scotland’s excellent research base and adopting novel, evidence-proven approaches to drive further improvements for patients.”

Katie Cuthbertson, National Associate Director of the Centre for Sustainable Delivery, said: “We are delighted to support the rapid adoption of this pioneering genetic test through the ANIA pathway.

“This test will help prevent avoidable hearing loss and improved outcomes for families across Scotland, and represents a major step forward in delivering safer, more personalised care for newborns.

“We are excited to continue to collaborate with Boards and clinicians across NHS Scotland, to ensure we remain at the forefront of innovative, precision medicine and sustainable healthcare transformation.” 

Gino Miele, Genedrive Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are proud that NHS Scotland has sought to implement our interventional rapid genetic test nationally, ensuring over time that it is available to neonates across Scotland who might otherwise be at risk of hearing loss.

“We look forward to working closely with CfSD, ANIA and individual sites to implement this into standard clinical practice throughout Scotland.”

British training of Ukrainian troops extended through 2026

Extension supports UK’s objective of supporting Ukraine to defend itself from Russian attack, while developing its Armed Forces to deter Putin in future

UK MARKS UKRAINIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

Ukrainian soldiers will receive a further boost from the British military’s expert training, as the Government announces the extension of the UK’s world-leading training programme on Ukrainian Independence Day.

The UK is stepping up and evolving its training support to ensure Ukraine’s Armed Forces are in the strongest possible position as they resist ongoing Russian attacks, and to deter any further Russian aggression under a future peace deal by supporting the regeneration of Ukraine’s forces. Supporting Ukraine’s defence supports the UK’s own national security and helps counter the economic disruption caused by Putin’s illegal invasion.

Training support and military equipment from the UK has helped give Ukraine a crucial boost on the frontline, with Russia continuing to lose far more vehicles and equipment to damage or destruction than Ukraine.

The extension of Operation INTERFLEX to at least the end of 2026 was announced by the Defence Secretary amid Ukrainian celebrations today, marking 34 years since declaring independence from the Soviet Union.

More than 50,000 Ukrainian recruits have been trained on British soil so far, with the UK leading 13 other nations providing support to the INTERFLEX programme as one of the biggest schemes of its kind in the world.

The UK is also adapting INTERFLEX training to best suit Ukraine’s evolving military requirements, with a gradual shift from prioritising shorter courses centred on basic combat skills training, to a greater focus on leadership and instructor training.

Two additional courses are now being delivered alongside the basic infantry course. One teaches soldiers how to be in command at a platoon and section leader level and the other is an instructor training course.

Working closely with Ukraine means the UK Armed Forces can learn valuable insights and techniques from the battlefield, helping to improve skills and tactics. Support for Ukraine has also seen closer industrial collaboration, benefiting British businesses and supporting the government’s Plan for Change.

The news comes as events take place across the UK today to celebrate Ukrainian Independence Day and highlight the historic relationship that Britain and Ukraine have built. Nearly 2,000 Ukrainian recruits, British military personnel, and other attendees are set to celebrate at one of the INTERFLEX training sites in England. 

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “The UK is united for Ukraine. We will continue to step up our support alongside allies, so that Ukraine can defend today and deter tomorrow.

“In the face of ongoing Russian attacks, we must put Ukraine’s Armed Forces in the strongest possible position. And as the push for peace continues, we must make the Ukrainians into the strongest possible deterrent to secure that future peace.

“On this special day for the freedom and democracy of the Ukrainian people, we are ramping up and evolving our world-leading training support that has given more than 50,000 Ukrainians vital combat skills.

“This matters to Ukraine and it matters to Britain. A secure Ukraine is a secure Europe. From learning lessons from the battlefield to strengthen our own Armed Forces, to deepening our military industrial collaboration supporting jobs across the nation, Britain and Ukraine are growing closer than ever before.”

INTERFLEX training began as a 5-week course to provide basic combat training to recruits, but following continued feedback and dialogue with Ukraine’s Armed Forces, has since become a 7-week course and offers alternative courses specifically designed to boost leadership and command skills for personnel, with new courses introduced, tailored according to seniority of trainees.

Training a new generation of Ukrainian instructors is one of the most effective methods to strengthen Ukraine’s security both now and in the long-term, increasing skills and capacity to expand its own training programmes. It will help Ukraine continue to regenerate its military capabilities, which would act as the strongest deterrent against further attacks from Putin under any peace deal.

New survey results of Ukrainian recruits who have completed training under Operation INTERFLEX from January to August 2025 revealed that 83% of those on leadership courses said they felt more able to make their troops under their command survivable at the end of their leadership training. The data also revealed that 93% of leadership trainees felt more confident they can make troops under their command more lethal at the end of their training.

Recent open-source reporting indicates that support from the UK and other nations has helped Ukraine achieve remarkable results on the battlefield, with more than 4,000 Russian battle tanks having been reported destroyed since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, compared with around 1,250 in Ukraine’s case. Reporting suggests that Russia has lost more than double the number of armoured vehicles compared to Ukraine.

Artem, a Ukrainian soldier currently training on Operation INTERFLEX’s Platoon and Company Sergeants Course said: “I am very grateful to the UK for supporting the people of Ukraine in their struggle for independence and identity as a nation.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to take such courses, for the high level of professionalism of the instructors, their dedication to their work, and for their ability to organise both group training and find an individual approach for each of us.

“Instructors ensure that classes are conducted in conditions as close to real-life as possible, whether it be in trenches, in a forested area, or in an urban area.

I learned how important it is to be prepared for coordinated actions in conditions of increased danger, how to properly coordinate personnel during defence, and planning offensive actions. I learnt how to survive in conditions of minimal support and improve first aid skills.”

Work on a potential peace deal between Ukraine and Russia has deepened in recent weeks under US leadership, with the Prime Minister flying out to Washington last week to meet with President Trump and President Zelenskyy alongside other European leaders. The Chief of the Defence Staff also held meetings on the Coalition of the Willing with other NATO chiefs.

The Coalition of the Willing – led by the UK and France – has developed plans for a multinational military force that could be deployed to Ukraine to provide support in the event of a peace deal. Several planning meetings in recent months have involved more than 200 military planners and input from around 30 countries.

The UK remains fully committed to securing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort, which is why £4.5bn is being spent on military support to Ukraine this year, the largest amount provided to date.

In March, the Prime Minister announced a historic £1.6 billion deal to provide more than five thousand air defence missiles for Ukraine – creating 200 new jobs and supporting a further 700.

The UK will also invest a record £350m this year to increase the supply of drones to Ukraine from a target of 10,000 in 2024 to 100,000 in 2025.

@ScotGovFM First Minister @JohnSwinney and Social Justice Secretary @S_A_Somerville attended a ceremony at Edinburgh’s City Chambers to mark Ukrainian Independence Day.

@ScotGov will continue to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while assisting Ukrainian communities in Scotland.

PICTURES: Basya Volodarskaya