A Northeast NHS Trust is scaling up a programme using drones to deliver medical supplies to hospitals, GPs and care homes.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is rolling out the programme with healthcare logistics company, Apian, and drone delivery business, Zipline, by autumn 2024.

Sir James Mackey, chief executive officer of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This expansion with Zipline and Apian is an exciting next step as we strive to improve services for the hundreds of thousands of patients we serve.

“We believe this innovative technology could be used to improve healthcare outcomes, save money and eliminate supply chain complexities, and we’re keen to get started.”

The service is designed to provide timely access to prescriptions, wound care and other frequently needed medical products through on-demand delivery.

It is hoped this will help providers reduce the number of cancelled procedures and decrease wait times in the long term.

The partnership will serve over 30 GP, care and health facilities in the region with plans to scale up significantly over time.