Sector: Healthcare (Operations and Logistics)
Lead organisation: Applied Quantum Computing Ltd (AQC)
Consortia: AQC, The Public Service Consultants Limited, Digital Analytics and Research Team – Innovation Transformation Directorate, NHS England, National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC)
This project, led by Applied Quantum Computing Ltd (AQC), was aimed at addressing operational healthcare challenges faced by the National Health Service (NHS). Accounting for about 10% of the UK’s GDP, the healthcare sector requires optimization for efficient service delivery. The project investigated the application of near-term quantum computing techniques in various operational challenges within the NHS. By identifying over ten applications, AQC and its consortium members, including NQCC and NHS England, assessed the impact and suitability for optimization of these challenges through quantum computing. Specifically, the project delved into operating theatre planning and urgent care patient allocation. The team successfully created a small-scale demonstration for theatre planning that could be encoded onto a quantum computer. Even a modest 1% efficiency improvement could yield potential savings of approximately £1.5bn annually. This project indicates that the application of quantum computing techniques could be enormously beneficial in optimizing operational healthcare services.