Andrew Davies
Executive Director, Digital Health, ABHI
The UK Government and NHS are using AI to enhance patient care and service delivery through innovative strategies.
The NHS 10‑Year Health Plan envisions a digital‑first, AI‑enabled NHS, integrating AI in clinical pathways, diagnostics, documentation, triage and back‑office automation. These initiatives aim to revolutionise the healthcare landscape by leveraging AI to improve patient outcomes, streamline healthcare services and ensure a sustainable future for the NHS. Despite bold rhetoric, it notably lacks a near‑term delivery plan detailing concrete timelines, roles or budgets, although this is promised.
AI infrastructure and government’s AI vision
The initiatives for health AI sit within larger plans for AI across the economy that include boosting R&D spending to £22.6 billion per year by 2029–30, with more than £2 billion for AI over the Spending Review period. Specific initiatives include an AI champion for Life Sciences and a £500 million Sovereign AI Unit, alongside expansion of the AI Airlock regulatory sandbox for medical devices. The new Health Data Research Service, with up to £600 million funding, will be ‘AI-ready,’ bringing together population-level multi-omic data to support AI development.
While the AI revolution presents numerous
opportunities, it also comes with challenges.
AI is not the future but the present
AI is no longer a hypothetical in the NHS; there is a commitment to adopting AI solutions that improve accessibility, reduce waiting times and empower patients to take control of their health. Pilots show promising productivity and quality gains. To transform vision and pilots into broad impact, the NHS must invest not just in AI tools, but in regulation, governance, training, coordination and public engagement.
Investing time and money
While the AI revolution presents numerous opportunities, it also comes with challenges. Ensuring data security, addressing digital literacy gaps and managing the costs of AI implementation are critical considerations, as is public trust and inconsistent infrastructure.
However, with robust policies and collaborative efforts, these challenges can be effectively managed to realise the full potential of AI in healthcare. The plan stakes out a bold, AI‑driven future for the NHS — with promises of fully AI‑enabled hospitals and real‑time, patient‑driven health records. Yet, it falls short on delivery details that are critical to realise the AI vision for health.
