UHBW one of the first to roll-out new rapid cancer jab for patients

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW), which is part of Bristol NHS Group, is one of the first hospital trusts in the UK to deliver a new injectable form of Pembrolizumab at Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre (BHOC).

The injection can be administered in one to two minutes and can be used to treat 14 different cancer types, including lung, head and neck, breast, and cervical. This follows the roll-out of nivolumab, another injectable form of immunotherapy, at UHBW last year (2025).

This new under-the-skin injection replaces an IV infusion which takes around two hours per session, sparing patients unnecessary time in treatment units and freeing up capacity for clinicians to see and treat more people.

Immunotherapy treatments such as Pembrolizumab are given over longer timeframes than chemotherapy programmes, lasting typically 1-2 years. It is designed to stimulate an immune response from the body to kill tumour cells.

Around 14,000 patients start pembrolizumab therapy each year in England, and most are now expected to benefit from the more convenient treatment.

The treatment will be given every three weeks as a one-minute injection or every six weeks as a two-minute injection, depending on an individual’s cancer type.

In total, the NHS estimates that the switch is expected to save more than 100,000 hours of preparation and treatment time per year, equivalent to around 11 years, meaning hospitals will free up vital capacity in pharmacy and cancer clinics, allowing teams to focus on preparing and delivering a greater number of more complex cancer therapies.

Helen Winter, Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire (SWAG) Cancer Alliance Clinical Director and Consultant Medical Oncologist at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust said:

“Delivering subcutaneous immunotherapy closer to home is a significant step forward for patients. It reduces the need for repeated and prolonged hospital visits while maintaining high-quality care.

This approach aligns with the National Cancer Plan for England, which highlights the importance of shifting more cancer treatment into community and home settings. We’re grateful to the whole team involved and especially to our patients, whose feedback has helped shape this new way of delivering care.”

Jon Standing, Director of Pharmacy at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust said:

“These new forms of subcutaneous immunotherapy allow hospital pharmacy services to focus on manufacturing and preparing other forms of cancer therapies.

This helps patients receive their cancer treatments as quickly as possible and follows the strategic approach of the NHS to increase the capacity to deliver cancer medicines.”

79-year-old Trevor Garfield, from Weston Super-Mare, was one of the first patients in the UK to receive the new jab at Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre, managed by University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, which is part of Bristol NHS Group.

Trevor said:

“The intravenous treatment I received before switching to the subcutaneous injection was delivered with great care and efficiency but my word! The new injection was delivered so swiftly that my visit to the hospital was completed in minutes!

I was in, out and home before you could blink and I didn’t feel a thing. It was truly amazing!”

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting said:

“Our National Cancer Plan promised to do more and go faster for patients – already we are delivering that change.

As a cancer survivor, I know how important quick treatment is, and this rollout will offer quicker, more convenient care, saving patients time and helping them in their recovery with less time in hospital.

Not only that - it’ll also free up valuable time so clinicians can care for even more people and potentially save even more lives.

The government is providing the health service with record funding, around 40,000 more people are starting treatment on time, and rates of early diagnosis are hitting record highs. Through innovations like this, we’re making every penny and every second count, and ensuring patients get NHS care that fits around their lives, not the other way around.”