The NHS is preparing to trial AI screening at a scale not seen before. A new platform called AIR-SP is being developed with 拢6 million in government funding. NHS England said this cloud system will let hospitals run research trials of AI tools more quickly and at lower cost.
At present, 90% of AI tools in screening are still stuck in pilot stages because each hospital has to set up its own IT system. That process is both expensive and slow. The new platform will connect NHS trusts across the country to one secure environment. According to the Department of Health and Social Care, this will save 拢2 to 拢3 million for every multi-site study.
The first project using the platform will involve nearly 700,000 women across England. It will test AI tools for spotting changes in breast tissue that may point to cancer. NHS England said this will allow doctors to refer patients for further checks at an earlier stage. Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced that the new system will give staff 鈥渃utting-edge tech鈥� so patients can be treated quicker.
Trials have often been blocked because of the cost of linking systems across trusts. Each study can require as much as 拢3.5 million in IT costs. By moving to a single national system, AIR-SP is expected to cut these costs and speed up the adoption of tools that have already shown promise in smaller studies.
What Role Will The New AI Commission Play Here?
Together with the screening trials, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has set up a National Commission to advise on AI in healthcare. The Commission, announced this week, will review tools that are being held back due to regulatory uncertainty. These include AI assistants that take notes during appointments and technology that monitors patients remotely.
The Commission will guide how a new regulatory rulebook should look. The MHRA said this will be published next year. Its members include clinicians, researchers, patient advocates and technology companies such as Google and Microsoft. Professor Alastair Denniston, a practising NHS clinician and head of the Centre of Excellence in Regulatory Science in AI and Digital Health, will chair the body. He described the work as a chance to build a framework 鈥渢rusted by the public and health professionals鈥�.
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Health Innovation Minister Zubir Ahmed said the Commission will 鈥渉arness the power of artificial intelligence to save lives and improve care, whilst maintaining the highest safety standards our patients deserve鈥�. The Commission will also issue calls for evidence so that patient groups and other healthcare bodies can contribute to its recommendations.
AI is already being used in 100% of stroke units in England to analyse brain scans and support doctors in diagnosis. Thanks to the AI Diagnostic Fund, 50% of hospital trusts are using AI to help identify conditions such as lung cancer. Research has shown hospitals using AI diagnostics have seen diagnostic errors fall by 42%.
Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: 鈥淎I has incredible potential to help doctors spot and treat diseases earlier. But we need experts to come together so patients can benefit from these opportunities quickly and safely.
鈥淭his Commission will ensure the UK leads the way in making these game-changing technologies available in the safest possible way, helping more of us to lead healthy, longer lives and supporting our NHS.鈥�
How Will Patients And Staff Benefit?
Supporters of the new initiatives say the main benefit is time. Early evidence from 鈥渁mbient voice鈥� technology, which takes notes during patient consultations, shows it has reduced paperwork and freed doctors to see more patients. AI monitoring systems can also alert staff to early signs of deterioration in patients being cared for at home, which could mean fewer emergency admissions.
Professor Henrietta Hughes, the Patient Safety Commissioner and Deputy Chair of the new Commission, said AI has the potential to bring 鈥渉uge benefits for patients鈥� but must be regulated carefully. Dame Jennifer Dixon of the Health Foundation added that an ethical framework was needed to build trust among staff and patients.
The Commission will also play a part in attracting investment. The MHRA鈥檚 Chief Executive, Lawrence Tallon, said regulation must move 鈥渁t the pace of innovation鈥� to support the UK鈥檚 ambition to become a hub for health technology. NHS England has made AI a main feature in its Plan for Change, which aims to move the health service from analogue to digital care.
