Personalised medicine and AI: House of Lords inquiry – techUK member forum
10am – 11am31 March 2026
Online
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has launched a major inquiry into Innovation in the NHS: Personalised Medicine and AI, examining a question of direct relevance to the health tech sector: why does the NHS struggle to adopt the UK's cutting-edge life sciences innovations, and what could be done to fix it?
techUK is preparing a coordinated industry submission to this inquiry, and this open member forum is your opportunity to shape it. We will present the emerging themes from early member engagement, discuss the inquiry questions in detail, and identify where the technology sector has the strongest evidence to offer.
About the inquiry
Launched on 9 March 2026 and chaired by Lord Mair CBE, the inquiry uses personalised medicine and AI as case studies to explore systemic barriers to innovation across the NHS. The call for evidence spans eight themes covering the full pipeline. From the science underpinning genomics and AI-driven diagnostics, through health data infrastructure and clinical trials, to procurement, regulation, health economics, and the practical realities of deploying proven innovations at scale.
Why this matters
This inquiry goes to the heart of challenges our members encounter every day, slow procurement, outdated digital infrastructure, risk-averse culture, and fragmented decision-making across trusts and integrated care boards. The Committee is explicitly seeking concrete, actionable policy recommendations, and the health tech industry has a critical perspective to offer on AI deployment, data interoperability, regulatory capacity, workforce, and talent retention.
The Committee's deadline for written submissions is on Monday 20 April 2026.
Get involved
Register for this forum to join the discussion and help shape our collective response. If you would like to discuss the content of the inquiry in more depth or explore how your organisation can contribute, please reach out to Viola Pastorino to arrange a one-to-one call (email: [email protected])
Robert Walker
Head of Health & Social Care, techUK
Robert Walker
Head of Health & Social Care, techUK
Robert joined techUK in October 2022, where he is now Programme Manager for Health and Social Care.
Robert previously worked at the Pension Protection Fund, within the policy and public affairs team. Prior to this, he worked at the Scottish Parliament, advising politicians and industry stakeholders on a wide range of issues, including rural crime and health policies.
Robert has a degree in Politics and International Relations (MA Hons) from the University of Aberdeen, with a particular focus on strategic studies and energy security. Outside of work he enjoys activities such as running, rugby, boxing and cooking!
Rachel joined techUK in December 2024, as a Programme Manager in the Health and Social Care team.
Prior to this, Rachel worked at a specialist health and social care public affairs agency, working with a range of organisations and trade bodies across the medical technology, pharmaceutical, digital health and social care sectors. As well as this, Rachel was part of the Secretariat for a number of health and care related All-Party Parliamentary Groups.
Rachel has a Masters in Global Governance and Diplomacy from the University of Leeds, as well as a first-class honours in Politics BA from Newcastle University.
Lewis Stewart
Programme Manager ‑ Health and Social Care, techUK
Lewis Stewart
Programme Manager ‑ Health and Social Care, techUK
Lewis brings a multidisciplinary background spanning health policy, stakeholder engagement, digital innovation, and elite sport. A former Commonwealth Games champion, he draws on the resilience, adaptability, and team-driven mindset gained through years of high-performance competition.
Before joining techUK, Lewis supported a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons, where he led on constituency engagement and produced evidence-based research to inform debates, committee work, and policy advocacy. He has also helped shape youth wellbeing policy through the Youth Sport Trust, collaborating with government, education, and grassroots networks to drive impact.
Lewis has played key roles in health tech and mobility startups, helping to bring innovative solutions to market and improve user experience in complex systems. With a degree in Biochemistry and Pharmacology, he combines analytical thinking with a passion for evidence-led, people-centred change.
Junior Programme Manager, Health and Care Team, techUK
Viola Pastorino
Junior Programme Manager, Health and Care Team, techUK
Viola Pastorino is a policy, governance, and strategic communication specialist.
She joined techUK as the Junior Programme Manager in the Health and Care Team in April 2024.
She has obtained a Bachelor of Sciences in Governance, Economics, and Development from Leiden University, and a Master's programme in Strategic Communications at King's College London. Her academic background, leading up to a dissertation on AI policy influence and hands-on campaign development, is complemented by practical experience in international PR and grassroots project management.
She is skilled in qualitative and quantitative analysis and comfortable communicating findings to varying stakeholders. Above all, she is deeply passionate about the intersection of technology and government, especially how technology and global discourse shape one another, the processes that lead to belief polarisation and radicalisation of communities, and crafting strategic narratives that steer public discourse.
Outside of work she loves reading, live music light operation, and diving.
Health and Social Care Programme activities
techUK is helping its members navigate the complex space of digital health in the UK to ensure our NHS and social care sector is prepared for the challenges of the future. We help validate new ideas and build impactful strategies, ultimately ensuring that members are market-ready. Visit the programme page here.
Find out more about the Health & Social Care Programme at techUK
Our members develop strong networks, build meaningful partnerships and grow their businesses as we all work together to create a thriving environment where industry, government and stakeholders come together to realise the positive outcomes tech can deliver.
