NHS AI Framework launched to support safe and ethical use of AI in healthcare across London
Every day artificial intelligence (AI) is showing how important it is to the future of the NHS and our ICS. From improving diagnosis rates to faster automation of patient registrations and more accurate patient referral support tools.
The new AI Framework launched today 3 March will help the NHS in south east London to deliver safe and ethical pathways to use these tools effectively. The framework covers the agreed way of introducing, using and monitoring Artificial Intelligence (AI) products across the NHS in south east London.
In south east London, we see significant levels of demand and recognise that the NHS needs to change to be able to best support people and communities in our area. For example, patients can find it hard to get appointments and can face a long wait for treatment. AI tools could improve this if used effectively and responsibly; one product has already reduced the average wait time to register with a GP practice from days to hours.
We want to harness the potential power of AI products in a safe, effective and efficient way to improve health and care services for people and communities from Borough to Biggin Hill and Charlton to Clapham. To do this, we have driven the development of the Framework for our area and for London
“This is such an important step to using AI to help people and communities in south east London” Dr George Verghese, GP and Partner Member for primary care at NHS South East London said. “Our system is under significant pressure and AI has real potential to deliver tangible transformation to improve our system. I am delighted that we are using the Framework to help ensure we can build a strong collaborative approach to make the most of the promise that AI delivers.”
Sigal Hachlili Dwyer – Director of AI, Data & Digital Innovation at Guy’s and St Thomas said: “AI tools have the ability to change how we care for people across London, however they also bring with them risk. This Framework gives us an important and consistent way of supporting the safe and effective introduction and use of these tools. Security and careful management of these products has been paramount in our work and I’m pleased to see us all tackling this head on in the Framework.”
The speed at which the AI field is growing provides us with the opportunity to move away from locally planned approaches to using digital tools that we have done before and plan an efficient and effective way of using AI products that can benefit everyone. The Framework has been developed with this in mind to help provide consistency across London.
“We need to do this together” said Philippa Kirkpatrick, Chief Digital Information Officer, NHS South East London. “Through using this Framework, all partners will share information about their plans and how well any tools are doing so that we can learn from one another and improve or respond to concerns rapidly. The Framework has been co-developed over a series of workshops and this collaboration will be built upon to work together in the implementation of AI, ensuring that we are maximising the opportunities available with our resources.”
It was developed through a series of collaborative events with NHS partners, the AI Centre for Value Based Healthcare and OneLondon.
Before the NHS AI Framework for London was developed, there were many documents prescribing and guiding the use of AI, but a lack of clarity about how to practically move forward with the safe and efficient use of AI. The Framework addresses this shortfall and offers a way to consistently harness the benefits of AI across the NHS.
The Framework also describes about how we will work with staff, people and communities to get the most from AI tools to support better health and care. This is critical to the success of AI, as we need to ensure that we have the trust of patients and staff in the way that we are considering these new technologies, and that we have in place robust processes to address risks, issues and concerns if they are raised.