The NHS will become the world’s first healthcare system to utilize AI for analyzing hospital databases and identifying potential safety issues at an early stage, according to the government.
The Department of Health and Social Care stated that the AI technology will serve as an early warning system, capable of detecting patterns and triggering urgent inspections. This initiative is part of the forthcoming 10-year plan for the NHS, set to be published by Wes Streeting this week.
The government has acknowledged concerns about patient care standards in light of recent scandals in mental health and maternity services.
Last week, Streeting announced a national investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services. The investigation aims to provide “truth and accountability” and will examine issues over the past 15 years. Findings will be reported in December.
A “signal system” will be launched across NHS trusts in November. It will utilize near real-time data to monitor higher than average rates of stillbirth, neonatal death, and brain injury, primarily focusing on maternity care.
Streeting stated, “While most NHS treatments are safe, even a single lapse poses a risk to patients. Behind every safety breach, there is a person, a life altered, a family devastated, sometimes by heartbreaking loss.
“Patient safety and power are central to our 10-year health plan. By embracing AI and introducing world-first early warning systems, we will detect dangerous signs sooner and initiate rapid inspections before harm occurs.
“This technology will save lives by catching unsafe care before it becomes a tragedy. It is a vital part of our commitment to transform the NHS from analog to digital, delivering better, safer care for all.”
In February, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) was fined £1.6m after failing to provide safe care to three infants who died within months of each other.
The Ockenden Review, published in 2022, investigated 1,862 maternity cases at Shropshire and Telford NHS Trust, revealing that numerous fatalities or serious disabilities occurred due to their mistakes.
The new system is the latest deployment of AI in the NHS, with Labour focusing on improving productivity in the healthcare system as additional funding is allocated.
The technology is already used to detect cancers. Keir Starmer also mentioned in a speech how a stroke patient had been diagnosed faster due to AI.
It is hoped that the technology will reduce waiting times, a priority for the government since winning last year’s election. The government has also pledged to enhance IT systems and transition the NHS to digital.
Additionally, there have been indications that anonymized health data could be used to train AI, with Starmer emphasizing the “huge opportunity” to improve healthcare.
Prof Meghana Pandit, a co-national medical director of NHS secondary care, stated, “The NHS in England will be the first country in the world to trial an AI-enabled warning system to identify patient safety concerns. The system will rapidly analyze routine hospital data and reports submitted by healthcare staff from community settings.
“This innovation will significantly enhance the speed and efficiency of identifying patient safety issues and enable us to respond quickly to improve patient care.”
Prof Nicola Ranger, the general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, emphasized that utilizing AI to ensure patient safety should not take precedence over increasing staffing levels.
Ranger stated, “Technology will always have a role to play, but having the right number of staff on the frontline of care is the starting point for improving patient safety.”
The government has also announced a partnership with supermarkets to reduce calorie consumption.
This could involve rearranging store layouts or reformulating products to promote healthier options. The government claims that if all overweight individuals in the UK reduced their daily calorie intake by 200 calories, obesity could be halved. This would result in 340,000 children and 2 million adults no longer being obese.
The UK currently has the third-highest adult obesity rate in Europe. The Department of Health and Social Care estimates that it costs the NHS £11.4bn annually.
Streeting stated, “Through our new healthy food standard, we will make the healthy choice the easy choice because prevention is always better than cure.”
However, the Conservatives criticized this approach as a “nanny state.”
Helen Whately, the shadow work and pensions secretary, commented, “They had 14 years in opposition to consider their approach to the NHS, and in just a year in government, it seems that their priority is to hide the crisps.”
She added, “Telling people what to buy is not the responsibility of the government. I believe in personal responsibility.”
