AI for Healthcare
“Despite the benefits of
Chris Melson, Senior Researcher, The Health Policy Partnership Page 02
“AI
Daniel Reynolds, Director of Communications, NHS Confederation Page 06
Sovereign UK cloud and IT provider powers AI in NHS pathology
A UK-based cloud, connectivity, communications and managed IT company aims to bring more agile technology services to the UK public sector, empowering NHS staff to provide higher levels of patient care and deliver better outcomes.
Advancements in AI, technology and visual digital image assessment are creating opportunities for the NHS to meet ambitious targets, combating an ageing population, ongoing pressure on clinicians and a backlog of procedures and services.
WRITTEN BY
Jonathan Bridges, Chief Innovation Officer at Exponential-e, explains: “AI won’t replace staff, but it can support the NHS to optimise operations and manage people more effectively to provide the best levels of care. One area we have seen significant growth and development from AI integration is Pathology.”
Pathology AI technology
Bridges continues: “Today, tissue samples can be digitised instead of using glass slides. AI can then assess these high-resolution images in under three minutes, flagging cancer risk and helping experienced pathologists to prioritise cases faster.”
Afshin Attari, Senior Director of Public Sector, explains: “Sharing data into scalable, collaborative secure national platforms could enable AI to support pathology in identifying urgent cases quickly, improving diagnosis times and supporting stretched pathology teams.” This technology has the potential to improve patient outcomes and mortality; it could shorten the diagnostic journey and enable significant economic savings throughout the NHS.
UK & IE
Available cloud services
One of the biggest challenges of integrating AI technology into the NHS is ensuring compliance with the NHS security postures and standards, GDPR and cybersecurity protocols. Exponential-e, a mid-size UK-based service provider of cyber-secure cloud environments, is helping the NHS embrace such AI innovation.
“We provide security, connectivity and cloud-managed services. We have a clear focus on working alongside public sector and government agencies, including healthcare,” says Attari. “During Covid-19, we were recognised as a critical national service provider, notably as we provide Health and Social Care Networking (HSCN) connectivity to three out of five of London’s Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) with a coverage of circa 65% of London’s population. We also currently provide around 20% of the pathology secure cloud platform infrastructures within England.” Bridges adds: “We bring advancements in AI technology to the secure data platforms; not the other way around. This new AI technology already exists, and it can protect the integrity of NHS data.” Alongside Dell Technologies, Exponential-e is building innovative IT, cyber, cloud and communications services where diverse AI models can run in agile, controlled and regulatorycompliant conditions via a high-capacity Ethernet core network. Centralising AI in secure data environments in this way offers a path forward, which maintains data governance and mitigates cyber risk.
Sharing data into scalable, collaborative secure national platforms could enable AI to support pathology in identifying urgent cases quickly. Contact information: uk.info@mediaplanet.com or +44 (0) 203 642 0737
Project Manager: Isobel Devine isobel.devine@mediaplanet.com Business Development Manager: Ollie Edmonds Managing Director: Ellie McGregor | Junior Designer: Ellen Cahill Senior Content Manager: Angelica Hackett O’Toole | Paid Media Strategist: Jonni Asfaha Digital Lead: Henry Phillips | All images supplied by Getty Images, unless otherwise specified
Computational pathology: the AI-driven future of diagnostics
Computational pathology is powering faster and more accurate diagnoses to help tackle rising cancer rates and workforce shortages. WRITTEN BY
Using artificial intelligence to analyse digital imaging is enabling pathologists (specialists who examine tissue samples and are essential to the diagnostic process) to carry out faster, more accurate diagnoses. This holds enormous promise in cancer detection, where early diagnosis is key but challenged by rising cases and strained healthcare resources.
Computational pathology addresses workforce gap
One of computational pathology’s most useful applications is in improving efficiencies to help address the global shortfall of trained pathologists. In the UK, four out of five pathology departments have vacancies they are struggling to fill. Furthermore, a quarter of pathologists are over 55; with training taking up to 15 years, there are concerns of an impending retirement crisis. The workload of each pathologist is expected to intensify as both the number and complexity of cases increase.1
As demands grow, computational pathology offers a scalable solution. When supported by technology, pathologists can analyse slides twice as quickly, speeding up the diagnostic process and alleviating bottlenecks in patient care.2
Supporting more accurate diagnosis
Computational pathology can also offer a more comprehensive
understanding of cancer. Its ability to detect biomarkers and predict treatment response makes it critical for personalised cancer care. It can also analyse tissue slides in greater detail than the human eye, detecting up to 20% more tumours than conventional methods.3 This enhanced clarity not only improves diagnosis accuracy, particularly for hard-to-spot cancers, but may also provide opportunities for innovation.
Improving implementation
Despite the benefits of computational pathology, global uptake remains limited. The first step to addressing this is ensuring the widespread digitalisation of pathology departments; digitalisation is still rare, but it is a prerequisite for the implementation of computational pathology. Greater investment is needed – not just in digital infrastructure, but in training, research and workflow integration. Embedding computational pathology seamlessly into care pathways is key to making it a practical and powerful tool for clinicians globally.
References:
1. The Royal College of Pathologists. 2018. Meeting pathology demand: Histopathology workforce census.
2. Retamero, JA. et al. 2024. Artificial Intelligence Helps Pathologists Increase Diagnostic Accuracy and Efficiency in the Detection of Breast Cancer Lymph Node Metastases. The American Journal of Surgical Pathology.
3. Yun L. et al. 2017. Detecting Cancer Metastases on Gigapixel Pathology Images. Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition.
Bethany Cooper
How AI tech helps care homes deliver smarter ‘person-centred’ support
The latest AI-powered tech in care home settings can reduce risks for residents, promote independence, create better environments and improve the workload of care teams.
When the right technology is deployed properly in care home settings, there’s no doubt that it can improve care delivery and make it more personcentred. That’s good for the people who are receiving care, their families — and care home staff.
“Technology enhances our ability to provide great care,” confirms Keith Crockett, CEO of Lovett Care, which operates 27 care homes across England and Wales. “It allows our teams to identify issues sooner and be more focused on the care they give.”
Choosing the right AI-powered innovations
For instance, Crockett cites an AI safety sensor known as RoomMate developed by healthcare technology provider Sensio, which is now offered in Lovett homes. This technology identifies when someone has a fall but can also ‘read’ the room and detect potentially dangerous situations, then alert care teams before a problem occurs. Previously, staff would need to check on residents throughout the night to ensure they hadn’t fallen out of bed.
today - it’s about the next
We’re coming to a point where tech enables care to be tailored to the individual.
“The issue with night checks is that they disturb people who are asleep,” explains Crockett. “They also take time to carry out. With the AI sensor, RoomMate, residents don’t need night checks. That’s better for them and the care team, our carers can now spend more energy on meaningful moments of care, while residents enjoy uninterrupted rest.” Alerts and data are available on staff mobiles, tablets, PCs and other screens linked by an eHealthcare platform.
Cinnamon Care Collection, one of the UK’s toprated care home groups, also offers the AI sensor – RoomMate in a number of its care homes across the UK, although Rob Burcher, Cinnamon Care Collection’s Head of Support Services, notes the importance of getting feedback from residents
before choosing a healthcare technology partner. “One resident commented that the sensor ‘Isn’t spying; it’s just there to keep you safe and ensure you get help when you need it’,” he says. “This reassured us that the technology could be adopted without intruding on dignity.”
Improving life for residents and care teams
Since the sensor was installed, residents’ sleep has improved, and team members have felt more empowered. “They told us that real-time alerts let them prioritise assistance,” says Gavin Pathmarajan, Cinnamon Care Collection’s Head of Care and Quality. “If the system shows a resident is out of bed or in an unusual position, they can respond faster than if they were waiting for a buzzer. This is particularly valuable for those at high risk of falls.” It’s about giving staff more time with residents and delivering safer, more dignified and more responsive care.
Torbjørn Aamodt, Sensio CEO, feels there has been a paradigm shift in the market for AI-enhanced healthcare over the last decade. “Technology has been in care homes for a long time,” he says. “But we’re seeing very high adoption rates now because, first, the use cases are much clearer and, second, the technology is much more mature.”
Using technology to deliver personalised care
Aamodt also sees new technologies, particularly AI, driving personalised healthcare solutions going forward. “We’re coming to a point where tech enables care to be tailored to the individual,” he says. “That’s powerful because it allows problems to be caught earlier. Also, tailoring care in that way is better and more fulfilling for care staff.”
Lisa Delaney, Sensio UK Country Director, adds: “Powered by AI and data-driven insights, we can deliver more than falls prevention and detection alone,” she says. “We can develop a comprehensive understanding of each resident’s needs, promoting independence, reducing risk, improving sleep quality, freeing up valuable time for care teams and fostering more positive, supportive environments. This is truly person-centred care.”
Future-Proofing Care for Decades to Come
Choosing the right care technology partner isn’t just about todayit’s about the next ten years.With Sensio, you’re not just choosing a system - you’re choosing a long term,
technology partner committed to innovation, reliability, and exceptional
INTERVIEW
Torbjørn Aamodt
Sensio
INTERVIEW
CT images are analysed automatically, and results appear in structured reports — without additional work for radiologists.
How AI is powering a lifesaving stage shift in lung cancer detection
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths, often detected too late for effective treatment. Early detection, however, can transform outcomes and improve survival.
While low-dose CT scans have long offered the potential to detect lung cancer at earlier stages, the complexity and time required to analyse these scans have historically been a major barrier to scaling population-level programmes. Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing that equation, and the UK’s groundbreaking lung screening initiative stands out as a leading example.
AI-powered screening is a win for providers and patients
The NHS England’s Lung Cancer Screening Programme offers comprehensive screening to people aged 55–74 with a history of smoking or other risk factors. To deliver on this ambitious programme, the NHS is harnessing AI-powered imaging tools delivered by DeepHealth, a global leader in health informatics. The AI automatically detects, characterises and tracks lung nodules in CT scans, enabling radiologists to work with greater confidence and efficiency. According to a peerreviewed study by Hempel et al., radiologists using it can interpret scans up to 42% faster.
UK Government data show that 76% of cancers detected in the NHS programme were identified at earlier stages (I and II) compared to just 29% historically.1 Earlier detection means more treatment options and an increased chance of long-term survival. The tool also calculates growth rates and doubling times, providing valuable insights into whether a nodule may be malignant and guiding next steps in diagnosis or treatment.
Relieving pressure on a stretched workforce
The Royal College of Radiologists has warned of a significant workforce shortage, with thousands more radiologists needed across the NHS to meet demand. By automating time-consuming elements of image interpretation and standardising reporting, AI helps radiologists process more CT scans faster.
Dr Katharine Johnson, Consultant Radiologist at Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, notes that the technology has reduced her chest CT review time by about 50%. “The volumetry is also fantastic,” she explains. “It saves me from manually performing the analysis. Ultimately, a much more robust nodule follow up — in half the time.”
Seamless integration, high standards
Ease of adoption has been another critical factor in the programme’s success. The AI runs automatically in the background and integrates seamlessly with existing IT systems. CT images are analysed automatically, and results appear in structured reports — without additional work for radiologists. In addition to being CE-certified, it meets relevant requirements for data privacy and security, including GDPR and national requirements.
Scaling across Europe and beyond DeepHealth’s lung AI is being used for more than 90% of NHS England’s lung screening sites, and the success of AI within the NHS programme has sparked interest across Europe. Large-scale AI-powered screening initiatives, like the NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme, show how the future of UK cancer care could shift from analogue to digital, hospital to community and sickness to prevention.
Reimagining population health for tomorrow In addition to lung health, DeepHealth’s clinical AI portfolio extends across breast, prostate, brain and thyroid health. Their software is used at hundreds of clinical sites globally, managing millions of patient exams.
“Our vision goes beyond individual diagnoses to a larger population health model,” says Dr Niccolo Stefani, Business Leader for Population Health & Clinical AI. “It’s about connecting imaging, data and workflows to proactively detect disease, improve survival and reduce the economic and human toll of illness.”
By embedding AI into clinical and operational workflows, health systems can do more than treat disease; they can anticipate it. The NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme shows what’s possible: earlier disease detection, better patient outcomes and greater efficiency for healthcare systems.
Reference: 1. Mouland, S. et al. 2024. Targeted Lung Health Check Programme: Final evaluation report.
BASED ON AN INTERVIEW WITH Niccolo Stefani Business Leader Population Health & Clinical AI, DeepHealth
Global EAPs and AI to streamline patient access to vital medication
AI is being utilised to accelerate patient access to life-changing medicines around the world, through smarter, more streamlined and more efficient global Early Access Programmes (EAP).
Global Early Access Programmes
EAPs are helping to bridge the gap, enabling patients to receive investigational treatments before they are commercially available. “Early Access Programmes give physicians a platform to request medicines for patients when other options have been exhausted,” explains Behrad Behmardi, EVP IT at Bionical Emas. “Requests are screened to ensure eligibility, and we take responsibility for making sure the medicine gets to the patient on time in a regulatory-compliant manner.”
Using AI to accelerate access
With laws and regulations unique to each country, accessing medications can be time-consuming and adminheavy. Specialist EAP provider Bionical Emas is looking at how AI can enhance its already robust processes to benefit healthcare professionals and patients.
“We’re looking at how AI can shorten timelines from request to delivery, to make our process even more efficient. This will allow us to focus our energies on providing a greater human element, ultimately enhancing the patient experience,” explains Daniel Holmes, AI Delivery Manager. “Automating elements of the journey from request to access means patients can be onboarded faster. AI helps us forecast demand and ensure the right medicines reach the right patient at the right time and place, every time.”
He continues: “It can also help optimise shipping
An AI-driven digital health vision for the UK
The UK Government and NHS are using AI to enhance patient care and service delivery through innovative strategies.
Tprocesses, selecting the most appropriate method.” Adverse events must be reported within 24 hours, a process that AI will be able to automate. Clinicians will have access to 24/7 support, reducing delays and unnecessary admin time.
Real-world impact
Bionical Emas not only facilitates the delivery of life-changing medications; its real-world data collection is capturing the effect of such medications in real time. Data such as patient outcomes and side effects can be tracked, helping pharmaceutical companies understand a medicine’s safety and efficacy. Data can then be used to support regulatory submission and reimbursement, ensuring commercial success and broader access to investigational drugs.
“Natural language processing and wearable integration are giving sponsors a richer, cleaner dataset,” explains Holmes. “All of our systems are built with the patient in mind, and every new system is validated and overseen by experts. Anything deviating from 100% accuracy is handed back to humans.”
“Technology is improving the quality of our services, giving us a better understanding of the impact of medicines,” emphasises Behmardi. “This seamless integration of cutting-edge innovation and employee expertise enables our talented teams to focus on Bionical Emas’ mission of bringing life-changing medicines to patients around the world.”
he 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.
While the AI revolution presents numerous opportunities, it also comes with challenges.
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.
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.
WRITTEN BY Andrew Davies Executive Director,
Bionical Emas
INTERVIEW WITH Behrad Behmardi EVP Information Technology, Bionical Emas
INTERVIEW WITH Daniel Holmes
AI Delivery Manager, Bionical Emas
WRITTEN BY Bethany Cooper
Securing artificial intelligence tools in the NHS and communications
By 2035, the Government expects artificial intelligence (AI) to be embedded across all aspects of patient care, positioning the NHS as a global leader in its ethical use.
As Europe’s largest employer and the recipient of the largest share of public funding in England, the case for wider AI adoption in the NHS to improve efficiencies is strong.
Potential and complexity of AI deployment
AI offers the potential to boost efficiency, reduce workforce pressures and empower patients to manage their care. For NHS communications teams, it can support content creation, improve accessibility, analyse patient feedback and streamline a number of tasks — ultimately enhancing how the NHS communicates and engages with the public. However, scaling AI across the NHS is complex. Access to tools and skills is uneven, and much of its use remains experimental.
Key enablers for ethical AI in healthcare
While several parts of the NHS are deploying AI well, to scale effectively, four key enablers are needed:
1. Modern infrastructure: Many NHS organisations still rely on outdated IT systems that can’t support AI. Continued capital investment in digital infrastructure is essential to unlock AI’s full potential.
AI in the GPs toolkit: proactive care, trusted outcomes
Innovative technology is reducing demand on general practice by proactively managing long-term conditions. A GP highlights AI use to drive holistic and preventative healthcare.
Reactive patient care is costly and unsustainable as a healthcare model. How can primary care physicians, who are chronically overstretched, manage the rising demand for services while focusing on preventative, holistic care?
Harnessing technology for prevention
“The UK population is ageing; people are now living longer with multiple conditions,” explains Dr Tim Cooper, GP and Medical Director of Suvera. “Utilising technology is the only way to future-proof primary care services.”
CQC-registered digital healthcare organisation Suvera was founded in response to this rising demand. By partnering with GP practices around the UK, the company is proactively managing patient care. The principle
2. Consistent governance: AI tools, especially generative ones like ChatGPT, are already used informally in communications roles. Clear governance, consent processes and transparency, especially in patientfacing content, are vital to ensure safe and responsible use.
3. Training: Staff need tailored training to use AI effectively and responsibly. Leaders must understand the ethical and governance implications and manage risks effectively, while operational teams need practical skills to make the best use of AI across different use cases.
4. Support with procurement: The AI market is fast-moving and complex. Tools like the Innovator Passport, a new digital system could help streamline adoption, but NHS leaders need national guidance from the Department of Health and Social Care to identify safe, effective and costefficient technologies.
Ultimately, the NHS is a people-first service. AI should enhance — not replace — human oversight. With the right infrastructure, skills and governance, AI can help solve real challenges and deliver on the ambitions of the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan.
is simple, explains Dr Cooper: “If we can identify risks earlier, we can intervene sooner, and help people live longer, healthier lives.”
Improving access to life-saving care
Backed by clinicians, pharmacists and GPs, the platform integrates best-practice healthcare with technology, providing a trusted platform to manage patients remotely, with outcomes sent straight to your GP record. Patients can submit health data, book appointments for investigations and speak with clinicians from the comfort of home. Data is proactively reviewed to determine timely and personalised interventions.
“General practice is delivering more appointments than ever, but for many, access remains difficult. Continuous and proactive
engagement through digital platforms avoids the 8am scramble for appointments,” explains Dr Cooper. “Long-term conditions are proactively managed, rather than left until they become urgent, which has a positive knock-on effect across primary care and the whole NHS.”
With inclusive user-friendly technology, Suvera has worked with diverse populations across over 320 healthcare practices, aiming to reduce the barriers of healthcare access, inequality and digital inclusion.
Using population health data to drive holistic care
With 91% engagement across virtual services, feedback has been positive. The next stage? Building automated care, supported by technology and moving away from the traditional 10-minute, one-problem primary care model.
“Technology lets us see the bigger picture, and population health data helps us to ask who needs help today, who needs it tomorrow, and what are the future risks?” says Dr Cooper. “With risk stratification, we can focus on the highest-need patients first and prevent long-term conditions from worsening, a central component of the NHS 10-year plan.”
With AI in GPs’ toolkits, patients receive timely and tailored care. This change from the traditional model is driving prevention in primary care, resulting in safer decisions and improved clinical outcomes.
WRITTEN BY Daniel Reynolds, Director of Communications, NHS
and Managing Director,
Paid for by Suvera
INTERVIEW WITH Dr Tim Cooper Medical Director, Suvera
WRITTEN BY Bethany Cooper
Image provided by Suvera
During consultations, I can give patients my full attention; this means maintaining eye contact, picking up on verbal and non-verbal cues and engaging at a deeper level.
Why GP partner says AI scribes are a ‘no-brainer’ for primary care improvement
Dr Faris Al-Ramadani speaks on the importance of integrating AI into primary care following a four-month pilot of innovative medical scribe technology.
What is your role, and how did you come to be involved with scribe technology?
I’m a GP partner at St Wulfstan Surgery. We were keen to explore how AI could help tackle the administrative burden GPs face daily, so we ran a four-month pilot of Tandem’s AI medical scribe. It gave us a chance to see what difference this kind of technology could make in real-world clinical practice.
What does the day-to-day administrative workload look like for GPs?
Heavy. Without this technology, admin can account for 25–35% of a GP’s daily workload. That includes writing up notes, preparing referral letters and following up on documentation. It often eats into the time spent with patients, and it can feel like a real weight on top of the clinical workload.
How has using a medical scribe tool changed your consultations?
It’s been a positive shift. During consultations, I can give patients my full attention; this means maintaining eye contact, picking up on verbal and non-verbal cues and engaging at a deeper level. Instead of splitting my focus between listening and typing, I can concentrate on what the patient is saying, empathise with them and provide a more coherent consultation.
On the admin side, I’m no
longer spending valuable time typing, refining and re-modifying notes. The AI generates accurate documentation in the background, and I can quickly switch a consultation summary into a referral letter. That speeds everything up and frees up time for what really matters: caring for patients, and even allowing more time to look after ourselves.
How have patients and colleagues responded?
Patients have been very supportive, and frequently reported that their GP seems more engaged, less stressed and better able to explain ongoing care plans. Many patients have been more than happy to give permission for the technology to be used during their consultation because they could see it was helping the process, not hindering it.
Colleagues have also responded positively. GPs find that it saves time when writing notes and referral letters. It has significantly reduced the sense of being bogged down by paperwork. Of course, as with any new technology, there’s always a learning curve, but overall, feedback has been positive.
What do you see as the biggest opportunities and risks with AI in healthcare? It’s about future-proofing the quality of patient care. Digital innovation
is part of our strategy at St Wulfstan Surgery, and an AI medical scribe really benefits everyone. Patients get a GP who is more engaged and able to spend more time focusing on their needs. Clinicians get accurate notes and letters generated automatically, which saves time and relieves pressure. That helps us return to what we were trained to do: delivering high-quality patient care.
The challenge is ensuring that AI is implemented in a way that’s safe, reliable and trusted by both clinicians and patients, which is why running these pilots is so important.
Tandem offers a relatively simple technology; it’s a small change, but it makes a huge difference to how primary care is delivered.
What are your hopes for how technology will shape the NHS in the next five to 10 years?
I hope technology can take away burdensome tasks from clinicians and staff. Technology has the potential to transform the patient experience, not just within primary care, but in how people access and navigate the NHS.
With the right tools, we can create more capacity, time and human connection. Something like an AI scribe feels like a no-brainer to me; it’s simple, effective, and it allows clinicians to focus on what matters, which is the patient in front of them.
INTERVIEW WITH Dr Faris Al-Ramadani GP Partner, St Wulfstan Surgery
WRITTEN BY Bethany Cooper
