The government has announced that the NHS will be one of the beneficiaries of a series of artificial intelligence (AI) projects that are set to receive a share of £32m of funding.
Pharmacies that deliver prescriptions across the country will benefit from the investment—Nottingham-based Anteam will work alongside both the retail sector and the health system to use AI algorithms to improve their delivery efficiency, for example.
The technology will match the delivery needs of hospitals to existing delivery journeys, in turn unlocking underused capacity, cutting carbon emissions and delivering better patient experience. In total, 98 projects involving 200 organisations across the UK will benefit from the funding. Digital government and AI minister, Feryal Clark, said that AI will deliver “real change” for people in the UK.
She said: “That’s why our support for initiatives like this will be so crucial – backing a range of projects which could reduce train delays, give us new ways of maintaining our vital infrastructure, and improve experiences for patients by making it easier to get their prescriptions to them. We want technology to boost growth and deliver change right across the board, and I’m confident projects like these will help us realise that ambition.”
Recent polling from the Health Foundation suggests that there is widespread support for the use of AI within the NHS—from both staff and the public. Despite this, experts warn that certain issues need to be addressed before the health service can fully take advantage of cutting-edge AI innovations. Concerns include the possibility of AI fostering a disconnect between patients and staff as well as inaccuracies slipping through the cracks if AI is trusted too much.
There is also a disparity in the levels of optimism for AI across NHS professions. With all this in mind, the Health Foundation says that:
- AI technologies should be designed with the intention of supporting human interaction, rather than taking it away;
- regulation, training and public engagement should address concerns around decision-making accuracy and transparency; and
- there needs to be recognition about the way AI will impact different professions so engagement should be tailored accordingly.
The think tank has also previously called for a dedicated strategy for AI in healthcare. Assistant director for insight and analysis at the Health Foundation, Tim Horton, has said: “Capitalising on the potential of AI will require a dedicated strategy to create agreement on priorities and provide greater direction for the NHS and industry. And engaging people in decisions about how AI should be used must be at the heart of this.”
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