NHS England and the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (i.AI) have signed an agreement to collaborate on research and increase the usage of AI for non-clinical purposes.
i.AI is made up of technology experts within government and works within the Cabinet Office. Under the collaboration charter signed on April 25 in London, the unit will support NHS England in the use of AI. Control of the data will remain with NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care said in a statement, adding that no patient identifiable data will be used in the AI trials.
The partnership will not develop AI based medical devices or products.
“The new partnership will empower the NHS workforce to use AI to improve patient care and staff experience, as well as drive operational efficiency,” the statement said.
Efficiency and improvements
The main focus of the charter is to use AI for operational efficiency and improvements in staff experience.
“The NHS has already rolled out proven AI solutions, including to improve stroke care, and we see the potential for far wider applications that improve experience for patients and release more time for care,” said Vin Diwakar, interim national director of transformation, NHS England.
“Collaborating with experts across government offers the opportunity to find even more uses for AI solutions that free up time and money to reinvest in better services for those who need them.”
The charter forms part of the government’s broader work on AI for the Public Good and follows news earlier in the week that the Home Office is supporting the adoption of AI within policing.
