Exemplar report ‘Accelerating Artificial Intelligence in health and care: results from a state of the nation survey’ published

A new state of the nation report about the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in health and care has found that we are only just beginning to unlock the potential of AI.

 The report was written in collaboration between the AHSN Network, Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England following an innovative survey to determine how Artificial Intelligence can be harnessed within the NHS and in preventative health settings.

The report spotlights some of the opportunities AI creates and shows where it is already being used in projects across the country. It also considers some of the barriers to wider deployment of AI and proposes solutions.

Essentially, it concludes that realising the potential of AI in health and care requires changes to the regulatory environment, commercial arrangements, and data infrastructure and interoperability, including making use of open standards. Top AI enablers also include engagement with health professionals, as well as grounding the use of AI in real problems as expressed by citizens, carers and healthcare professionals.

It points to the creation of a “code of conduct” for Digital Health Innovations and Intelligence Algorithms for the sector. The code is being designed to provide a national set of 'rules of engagement' for any NHS organisation entering into a partnership with an AI developer.

Key findings of the report include:

• 94% of the UK’s AI thought-leaders cite AI as being extremely important or very important for diagnostics
  
  
• 89% support this view for operational and administrative goals; and,
  
  
• 79% believe AI will be extremely or very important to deliver benefits for health promotion and preventative health
  

Guy Boersma, Managing Director of Kent Surrey Sussex Academic Health Science Network (KSS AHSN), led work on the survey that has informed the report. He believes it will help to create an AI ecosystem for health and care, connecting people from across the sector to accelerate progress: “This report confirms that AI has huge potential to improve health and cut costs within the health and care sector.

“We’re going to see AI increasingly centre stage as the NHS adopts new technologies with the power to transform how services are provided and accessed.

“The UK is in pole position to lead the world in the development of AI solutions in health and care. The data held by the NHS, our track record for health innovation and the strength of our technology and life sciences sector provide the platform we need to be among the first to make AI a core part of how we care for people.”

Run by the Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) Artificial Intelligence (AI) Initiative, the report was written on the back of an AI mapping and thought leadership survey. From this survey, an interactive map and directory will be created to demonstrate where AI exists and where the compelling use cases are in health and care which have contributed to the content of the report.

The AHSN Network AI Initiative is bringing together 40 core leaders with diverse perspectives on AI from clinical, technological, legal and ethical areas, as well as practical on-the-ground experience from innovators in the NHS. Members are drawn from a wide field, including academia, industry, government and the third sector including citizen groups.

The project’s aim is to develop and drive innovation and adoption of AI technology throughout the NHS and social care - improving care at less cost and promoting healthy lifestyle.

You can download the report in full below. For more information about the report, contact: Melissa Ream.