Millions of NHS patients could soon receive faster diagnoses and treatment as pioneering AI tools are tested on an unprecedented scale, thanks to a new cloud-based platform called AIR-SP.
Backed by nearly £6 million in government funding, AIR-SP is being developed by NHS England to allow trusts across the country to join AI screening trials, helping clinicians analyse images and pinpoint abnormalities – including early signs of cancer – more quickly and accurately.
Currently, 90% of AI tools in NHS screening remain stuck in pilot phases, as each trust must set up its own IT systems and databases to test new technology. AIR-SP will centralise multiple AI tools in a single, secure cloud environment, connecting all NHS trusts and dramatically reducing the time and cost of rolling out AI research studies.
Wes Streeting, Health Secretary, commented:
“The AI revolution is here, and we are arming staff with the latest ground-breaking technology, so patients get faster and smarter care.
“As our world-leading scientists develop new lifesaving AI tools, this new cloud platform will see them rolled out to patients in research trials right across the country - so staff can treat patients quicker with cutting-edge tech.
“This government is reinstating the UK’s position as a technology superpower - driving vital investment and economic growth as we build an NHS fit for the 21st century.”
The new platform will enable simultaneous, nationwide trials of AI tools, accelerating the adoption of proven technologies on the NHS frontline. It will also simplify research processes, cut bureaucracy, and ensure that NHS patients are among the first in Europe to benefit from cutting-edge, non-invasive cancer diagnostics.
AIR-SP is expected to be rolled out for research purposes in 2027, with funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
The government is already harnessing AI to transform patient care, from early warning systems for safety concerns to new non-invasive liver cancer treatments. AIR-SP is a key part of the Plan for Change, shifting the NHS from analogue to digital and freeing up staff time for better patient care.
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