Why should AI be a priority for the NHS? Our healthcare system is broken and in crises, surely Healthcare AI is just a distraction from fixing the problem? Or is AI our best bet in turning our crises around?
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Our NHS is Currently In Crisis.
Today the Government released it’s new strategy for AI are saying that AI should be a priority for the NHS. It seem strange to recommend this when our healthcare services are being strangled by a shortage of resources with a £4.8 billion projected deficit for 24/25 (Nuffield Trust) , staff shortages , With 121,000 unfilled roles (Kings Fund), equipment with 4 in 10 hospitals using outdated medical equipment (Guardian) and facilities with the number of hospital beds more than halving in the last 30 years (Kings Fund). Whilst right now our hospitals, GP practices and social services are being overwhelmed by the winter crises (BBC). Surely this is the last time healthcare should be prioritising AI.
Is Healthcare AI Just A Fantasy?
Talking about Healthcare AI as a priority seems to be just pie in the sky when we have real practical problems today. I actually agree that so much talk about AI is really just magical thinking, not rooted in reality. However, the development and improvement of AI is gowing ever faster and is unlikely to slow down (Time).
Just like a virus it is spreading and evolving at an ever faster rate. It may be a bit limited now, but in a relatively short amount of time it’s growth and development will be enormous.
That speed of development is far faster than our ability to recruit and train our medical workforce (with each nurse taking 4 years to train), build new hospitals (17 years!).
So whilst their is a lot of B*l*sh*tt*ry about it now. We should not ignore it.
AI needs to be a priotity for healthcare and the NHS as it is a wave that will carry us into the future and healthcare needs to be riding it.
An Example of Healthcare AI
Let’s give an example: In a speech this week Uk Prime Minister Keir Starmer gave an example about why healthcare AI should be a priority
He used an example of how AI helped a stroke patient receive emergency treatment:
AI was able to quickly identify the location of a clot in the brain of the patient, so surgeons could operate and remove it.
In this case AI has made a massive difference to this persons life probably preventing a life time of care and dependence.
However, there is a deeper story beyond the politicians blabber.
This type of procedure is relatively new. It’s called a Thrombectomy.
It requires a particular type of specialist. (An Interventional Neuroradiologist) Tracking and pulling blood clots out of brains is a highly skilled process. Guess what, there is huge shortage of that specialist with a 31% shortfall due to rise to 41% in 5 years time. (Royal College of Radiologists)
You can prioritise AI and have the best AI in the world BUT you STILL need the right expertise the right equipment and right facilities available at the right time.
The Real Opportunity By Healthcare AI A Priority For The NHS
So AI is mostly useless right?
Wrong, the real benefit of prioritising AI is not just to locate the clot. The real potential of AI is being able to get the entire surgical team, equipment and facilities all together at just the right time you need them with the right information to act quickly.
All without the need for managing schedules, checking emails, manage sickness leave etc. AI has the potential to quickly enhance our services to make the most of the limited resources we do have.
In the longer term, we undoubtedly need more of those staff, equipment and facilities. But even if we start doing that now it will take years to reach fruition. Whereas the development and potential of AI is growing fast. We just need to prioritise it in the short term invest a bit of time and effort and focus on getting it working well to start reaping the benefits.
AI Can Be a Practical Solution
We need practical solutions to create a patient focused NHS responsive to their needs. If we are to produce a practical plan to rescue the NHS from its current situation prioritising healthcare AI has to be part of the answer, if we are to bail out the NHS Titanic far better to automate part of the process.
What Kind of AI Do We Need?
“Good AI enables ourselves and our organisations to live in harmony with our bodies and our environment.”
J-P Crofton-Biwer
Commissioners and providers working in the public sector and health need to make an active choice of what kind of AI do we need. I believe that an important principle is that we try and ensure that the AI makes creates an ever more harmonious relationship between patients, their bodies our organisations and the environment we live in. Learn more in this post.
Conclusion
The potential benefits of prioritising AI in healthcare is not mere magical thinking; it’s a rapidly evolving tool that can help us use our limited resources more effectively. While making a AI a priority alone cannot fix fundamental shortages of staff, equipment, and facilities, AI can coordinate and optimise and make the most to maximise what we already have. By embracing AI’s growth alongside vital investments in workforce and infrastructure, we can better tackle our current healthcare crisis and position ourselves for a more efficient, effective healthcare system.
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