Lavanya Rangarajan
Project Co-ordinator, Health, Policy Connect
The promise of a reformed NHS has been front and centre of the new Labour Government’s priorities.
The shift from sickness to prevention, hospital to community, and analogue to digital has underpinned all new policies and guidance. However, the push to use technology and innovation in improving the delivery of healthcare services has been ongoing for years.
Potential of AI in healthcare
The NHS uses emerging technology in various ways, from scans to detect bone fractures to helping rule out throat cancer and predicting patterns of illness. However, is it the silver bullet that it is touted to be?
Several benefits of using artificial intelligence (AI) underpin the strong push by various governments to use it in healthcare services. AI has the potential to make healthcare delivery efficient and effective. It can provide vital support in cutting down costs, improving resource allocation and reducing the continuously growing waiting times the NHS experiences.
The uses of AI don’t stop at just large-scale diagnosis and prediction; a fifth of GPs use AI tools to help with administrative tasks such as writing letters for their patients after appointments, according to a survey.1 While the technology has been crucial in alleviating pressures on healthcare providers, it does raise concerns regarding the accuracy of results and patient privacy.
AI models need to be trained
on patient data, which contains
sensitive and confidential information.
Ensuring privacy and patient benefit
If AI is to be integrated into healthcare practices, several concerns should be addressed in guidelines drafted for its use. AI models need to be trained on patient data, which contains sensitive and confidential information that should be handled with ethical consideration. Moreover, inaccurate patient data will lead to AI models producing inaccurate outputs — an important consideration when used for diagnosis and treatment.
Lastly, it is important to understand the extent to which AI integration is viable, helpful and effective in improving healthcare service delivery. As its use cases continue to evolve, all healthcare professionals must understand the weight of using such technologies in patient care delivery.
Maintaining high-quality care standards
As the new Government continues supporting technological advancement in healthcare, it must ensure every step remains patient-centred. Thoughtful investment in AI should be balanced with a commitment to protecting patients and upholding quality care standards.
[1] Charlotte R. B., et al. Generative artificial intelligence in primary care: an online survey of UK general practitioners. BMJ Health & Care Informatics 2024;31:e101102.
