PA Consulting comments on the Spring Budget

The Chancellor's investment in AI is welcome, but clinicians aren't going to start using a tool like AI until they absolutely believe it works.

Reforms to speed-up NHS test results using AI are positive step in creating a fit for purpose and digitally enabled NHS, but for any chance of success the Government now needs to now look at building trust. Gaining the trust of the clinicians in AI is a huge issue. Clinicians have spent their careers building their reputations, and the care they provide has always been defined by their clinical judgement. Clinicians aren't going to start using a tool until they absolutely believe it works. This is all made worse by a 'not made here syndrome' in the NHS, which will require every Trust to convince their clinical community of the benefits.

You can't just inject new technology and wait for people to take it up.

It's one thing investing in the technology within the machines, but that will achieve nothing without a wholesale redesign of processes. Redesigning operational workflows to embed AI tooling in the process from creating an initial scan image to reporting on the outcome must be the government's next priority. Clinical processes need to be standardised so new technology can be formally embedded into standard procedures.

The government is missing a trick focusing solely on speeding up the reporting of scans, the deeper benefits for the NHS and for the public lie in using AI to address waiting lists.

A far easier challenge to tackle - and one that reaps even larger rewards - is using AI to get patients off the waiting list and into clinical care. Booking patients into scanners and organising the workload of clinicians to maximise the resources we have are two areas where AI can have a huge impact. We have seen a 15% increase in patients seen in imaging departments within three months using these techniques.