Context of the project
Health Education England (HEE) commissioned Unity Insights to develop a roadmap of AI-driven technologies which were becoming close, or were ready for, market; including when and where they would likely have impact. The Unity Insights team examined the effects on workforce groups, clinical pathways, point of care, and their respective transitioning requirements. The project ran between March and October 2021, involving various stakeholders ranging from Health Education England, NICE, NHS AI Lab, and the NHS Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC).
Impact of the work
The current report and its respective dashboard allow the reader to understand the landscape of AI and data-driven technologies that currently exist within the healthcare system, the taxonomies they sit within, their spread and adoption, and their potential impact on workforce. The case studies within the report provide further understanding on the impact of two AI technologies that are more mature in practice and use. Overall, this report can help steer ongoing AI discussions across the system and explores training and workforce needs for all healthcare professionals.
This report expands on the legacy of the Topol review, providing a framework on how to identify and classify AI technologies. The current report is a culmination of significant work and cross-organisation collaboration. This provides valuable insight for leaders in AI policy, education, regulation, innovation and digital transformation, and workforce strategy.
Senior Manager – Innovation, Research and Life Sciences, NHS Accelerated Access Collaborative“This database is a really useful compilation of the existing AI technologies in development or use within health care in England as there is no central reference for this currently. If kept up to date and evolved it has the potential to inform national, regional and system strategies around the technologies that should be rolled out more widely across the health and social care.”
Director – Scientific Advice, NICE“The AI Roadmap is a valuable resource to help understand and navigate the AI technology landscape. The database and dashboard are practical tools we can use when planning resources for NICE guidance production and will provide a source of information for the multi-agency advisory service to monitor new digital health technologies. We see this work as an example of how collaborating with strategic partners can support the regulation and evaluation of AI technologies.”
Clinical Lead, DART-Ed, HEE“The AI Roadmap is an invaluable asset in helping to understand the AI and data driven landscape in healthcare, and the implications this will have on our staff and learners. It is important we achieve transformation through emerging technology, helping scalability to improve patient care throughout the country, and can understand impact on the system, pathways, and users. We need to ensure the workforce is ready to support this aim and the insights from this roadmap will focus our efforts on education and training to achieve this”
Head of AI strategy, NHS AI Lab“This dashboard is a useful step towards measuring the impact of AI technologies to the NHS. The blend of sources of information, including clinician experience, provides meaningful insights. We hope to build on this work in the future strategy for AI in health and care including strengthening data from social care and ensuring that our governance and commercial frameworks from across the digital health ecosystem, such as NICE’s Evidence Standards Framework, and adoption data from AAC backed technologies, are brought to life.”
Find out more
Explore the AI roadmap report and interactive dashboard on Health Education England’s website
View report
Get in touch with us
- Phone
- Email enquiries@unityinsights.co.uk