Jersey GP Surgery introduces Skin Analytics’ AI as a medical device DERM to offer patients earlier diagnosis and avoid unnecessary referrals to specialist services.
First Medical has become the first GP practice in Jersey to use an AI medical device that reviews images of moles and lesions in cases where there is a suspicion of skin cancer and triages patients to the appropriate care.
Although progress has been made in reducing waiting times for Jersey’s dermatology services in recent years, they remain high. As of September 2025, more than 125 patients were waiting on urgent pathways, with median wait times of seven weeks for a first appointment – more than double the island’s three week target. 526 patients were waiting on routine pathways, with half waiting 16 weeks or more for a first appointment.
By identifying and safely discharging up to 50% of cases, the service will reduce the time patients wait for a diagnosis and ensure that specialist capacity is allocated to urgent or complex cases where there is a genuine clinical need.
The move marks a Channel Islands first and will put cutting-edge health technology directly into the hands of primary care staff, including GPs and healthcare assistants.
The technology behind the service is DERM™, an AI medical device developed by Skin Analytics, which performs with dermatologist-level accuracy. DERM is the only technology authorised by regulators to make triage decisions in skin cancer. It has been in use in the NHS in England since 2020, where it has assessed more than 220,000 patients and detected over 18,000 skin cancers.
First Medical, which operates three GP surgeries serving around 7,000 patients, went live with the new pathway this week.
Dr Brendan Loane, GP Partner at First Medical, said: “We’re exceptionally proud to be the first GP practice in Jersey to deliver this wonderful innovation to our patients. Skin changes increasingly cause much concern. With DERM we offer patients their results with unparalleled accuracy at point of first contact.
“Our patients with skin lesions get the reassurance they’re looking for as early as possible. The doctors benefit by knowing that the worrisome skin cancer cases are identified and treated as early as possible. It is established that the outcomes for skin cancer cases are considerably better with early treatment. This DERM AI innovation is a gift that will level out the access to care for the people of Jersey.”
Dr Dan Mullarkey, Medical Director at Skin Analytics, said: “First Medical’s adoption of DERM is a brilliant example of where regulated, clinically-validated AI can support healthcare systems in balancing demand against capacity. With Jersey experiencing a higher incidence of skin cancer than other places in the British isles, we hope this partnership will help other practices in Jersey understand how AI triage of suspected skin cancer in primary care can support faster diagnoses and better use of specialist resource.”
Skin Analytics is a UK health-tech company using AI to transform skin cancer care. Its DERM™ technology is CE-marked with a Class III certification under the EU MDR – the highest level of regulatory approval. DERM was recently the subject of an Early Value Assessment by NICE, the UK’s health economics regulator, which conditionally recommended DERM for early use in the NHS while further evidence is gathered. DERM is currently used by more than 25 NHS partners in England, with deployments in both primary and secondary care.