Government puts nurses at heart of DNA testing and research
Source: gov.uk (2025-08-27)

Government to create ground-breaking new genomics population health service, with nurses in leading roles.

- Patients get improved access to life-saving DNA testing closer to home, as Plan for Change shifts healthcare out of hospitals and into community
- Enhanced government funding and tailored career development will empower nurses to lead and deliver innovative health and care research into range of conditions
Nurses across England will be trained as genomics champions in local communities to help patients get faster diagnoses and access life-saving treatment closer to home, as the government’s 10 Year Health Plan ramps up innovation in the NHS.

The government is creating a new genomic population health service, building on the existing NHS Genomic Medicine Service, to enhance the identification, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of various conditions such as cancer, heart diseases and rare genetic disorders - including kidney and neurological conditions - that can go undetected for years.

These specially trained nurses - along with other NHS staff - will help guide patients and family members through genetic testing that can identify the inherited causes of major conditions such as heart disease, cancer and rare genetic disorders.

These nurses will identify patients suitable for genomic testing, supporting them to access genomic counselling if needed.

This means genetic testing closer to home - reducing travel barriers and offering more convenient options for patients - as the Plan for Change shifts care out of hospitals and into the community.

This approach is already starting to deliver benefits for patients. Dr Teofila Bueser, based at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust - who is Director of Nursing and Midwifery for the NHS South East Genomic Medicine Service Alliance and a researcher funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) - is already using ground-breaking genomics research to protect her patients from hidden heart conditions that could strike without warning.

She facilitates genetic testing to spot inherited heart problems in her patients. Her research helps more people get heart health checks and genetic tests for conditions such as irregular heartbeats and enlarged hearts that run in families.

Thanks to her research, the days of anxious waiting are ending for worried families. Her work means patients and their families can get tested faster and receive continued specialist support even when they are seen at their local hospital.

Health Minister, Stephen Kinnock, said:

Nurses are the backbone of our NHS and this government is committed to giving them more opportunities and unleashing their full potential.

By creating new opportunities in genomic healthcare and research, we’re not only improving patient care but also creating fulfilling careers that recognise and use nurses’ invaluable expertise.

Our 10 Year Health Plan is transforming our NHS into a service that’s truly fit for the future and puts nurses at the forefront of this revolution.

Professor Dame Sue Hill, Chief Scientific Officer for England and the Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics in the NHS, said:

The establishment of a genomics population health service is an exciting and important development which builds on our world-leading NHS Genomic Medicine Service. It will enable more people to access genomic testing, not only for risk prediction and prevention, but also to help tackle the unmet needs of patients with undiagnosed conditions.

Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said:

Nurses are at the heart of our NHS, and these advances will help ensure patients and communities benefit from nursing leadership in genomic medicine and research-led improvements.

Our nursing workforce already includes well-established leaders in genomics and research and this represents an opportunity to strengthen and enhance the excellent work of our profession in these fields, recognising their expertise in healthcare innovation.

Dr Teofila Bueser, Director of Nursing and Midwifery for the NHS South East Genomic Medicine Service Alliance and an NIHR researcher, said:

Researching genomics has boosted my nursing career and given me the opportunity to tackle genetic heart conditions to help the thousands of people who suffer from them.

I hope more nurses and midwives take up the opportunities for education, research and clinical academic careers in the field of genomics. By being leaders on genomics in the NHS, we can help give patients and families the genetic information they need to access better care and live longer, more fulfilling lives.

The government is also building on the Chief Nursing Officer for England’s strategic plan for research and enhancing the strong foundation of nursing in delivering and leading research through investments in the sector and partnership with national, regional and local nursing leaders.

In 2024 to 2025, over £10 million has been invested through NIHR to support nurses to develop their research and leadership skills and build their research careers.

Examples of where this investment has led to improvements in research include:
- Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nancy Burridge, based in Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, led groundbreaking research using virtual reality headsets to help palliative care patients, showing significant reductions in pain and anxiety
- Nurse Consultant and suicide prevention lead, Katherine McGleenan, based in Cumbria Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, led a study to save lives by developing personalised care plans for adults who might be thinking about suicide
- Clinical academic nurse, Dr Takawira Marufu, based in Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust, whose research helps detect pressure injuries (such as ulcers, bedsores and blisters) among children from ethnic minorities
Support for nurses interested in developing research careers has been significantly expanded by NIHR through career development awards, attracting nurses from all settings into research and providing the training, mentorship and resources they need to become tomorrow’s research leaders.

Nurses play a key role in clinical research trials, and these advancements will ensure that the NHS can harness their expertise to drive innovation and improve patient outcomes.

Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Chief Executive Officer of the NIHR, said:

Nurses are key to the country’s research workforce. In recent years, the NIHR has significantly increased research opportunities to enable more health and care professionals, including nurses, to build research into their careers.

Through the 10 Year Health Plan, we have committed to go further, supporting nurses from all specialisms and in all settings to become research active, utilising their expertise to improve patient outcomes through research.

Laura Rooney, Lead Research Nurse at the Alzheimer’s Society, said:

We welcome the government’s initiative to invest in a dedicated research nurse workforce, to help drive healthcare innovation and expand the NHS’s ability to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care.

One in three people born today in the UK will develop dementia in their lifetime - and only research will advance the breakthroughs urgently needed in dementia diagnosis and treatment.

Adding further nurses to the frontline of research, the Alzheimer’s Society will soon launch its own network of dementia research nurses, in collaboration with the UK dementia trials network - which is funded by the government - to embed research into everyday NHS dementia care.

Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said:

If undetected and untreated, inherited heart conditions can be deadly and devastating for affected families. BHF research has discovered some of the faulty genes responsible for these frightening conditions and is evaluating novel approaches to correct them but there’s more to do to prevent future tragedies. That’s why we’ve worked for years with NHS England, the Chief Coroner and other partners to make it easier for families to access genetic testing, and it is encouraging to see the government’s ambition to expand genetic testing at a population level. When fully established, the genomic population health service will bring cutting-edge science into routine clinical care to help reduce the number of preventable premature deaths.