Pioneering gene-based therapies and artificial intelligence are to be used to help people with cancer, dementia and Parkinson’s with a £133 million boost from the government.

Ministers hope to enable faster, more accurate diagnoses and earlier interventions by investing £50 million into NHS diagnostic services. A government spokesman said that the cash would help to “develop cutting-edge products using digital systems and artificial intelligence that could ultimately save lives”.

Research into improving adult social care will receive £7.5 million and £14 million will be spent on technologies for treating conditions such as osteoarthritis and developing new vaccines. The funding will also support a variety of other new projects, including the advanced pain discovery platform, which will receive £12 million to work on “deepening our understanding