NHS Scotland partner believes workforce ‘still needs convinced’ on AI following staff survey
Formal NHS Scotland partner InnoScot Health believes that there is still a lot of hard work to be done to ensure the healthcare workforce is convinced that artificial intelligence (AI) is safe, ethical, and does not threaten jobs.
Executive Chair of InnoScot Health, Graham Watson is impressed by AI healthcare achievements so far, including its positive impact on everything from radiology research and the development of devices and pharmaceuticals to fast evolving diagnostics and preventative medicine.
However, he also insists that more real-world evidence is yet required when it comes to proving beyond doubt that AI will improve patient experiences and outcomes in a safe, clinically effective manner while delivering long-term value.
Graham said: “Arguably, healthcare with its rich and growing wellspring of data drawn from the likes of clinical studies, imaging, and wearables is the perfect use case for AI when compared to other sectors. The potential is vast, but there remain risk factors.
“The excitement around it must also be tempered in our current challenging climate of renewal and transformation where human expertise is still paramount and to which any technology must remain only supplementary.
“AI may well become a large piece in tomorrow’s healthcare innovation puzzle, but it should not be considered a cure-all solution, particularly so when health boards differ in the infrastructure available to host its capabilities and, by extension, their approach to both integrating it and successfully delivering bespoke training for staff.
“If or when AI technologies gain workforce, patient, and regulatory approval, adoption could furthermore be slow, meaning that expectations must be managed in the short-term.
“Neither should anyone sideline concerns of NHS staff and patients around AI’s ethics, accuracy of decision making, or care becoming less human-led.”
A recent survey by the Health Foundation found that the prospect of AI in healthcare divided NHS staff opinion.
Across June and July, the Health Foundation asked more than 1,200 NHS staff how they felt about the statement “I look forward to using AI as part of my job”. The response saw 57 per cent in agreement and just 17 per cent disagreeing.
However, results were less clear cut in terms of perceived employment impact with 43 per cent agreeing that “AI will mostly threaten health care jobs and professional status” but 44 per cent conversely believing “AI will mostly improve jobs in health care”.
Differences in response were noted across NHS occupations. For instance, doctors and dentists, allied health professionals and staff in scientific and technical roles tended to express more positive sentiments towards AI.
By comparison, nurses and midwives, staff in administrative and clerical roles, and those in other clinical services were less likely to welcome it.
Furthermore, 65 per cent of the NHS staff surveyed thought AI technologies would make them feel more distant from patients.
The report concluded: “While views about the overall impact of AI on jobs in the health care sector might be finely balanced, staff seem much more positive when thinking about the prospect of using AI in their own role.”
Such findings, the report added, are a reminder “that these technologies may have an uneven impact across the workforce, requiring tailored engagement and support”.
Graham continued: “While there may be doubts to overcome for some sections of the NHS workforce, it is clear from this survey that AI has also gained significant support.
“Indeed, it is still a young, rapidly developing field, and once fully mature, is expected to change the way we all live in a wide variety of ways. Healthcare may be no different with its need for greater efficiency and better patient outcomes.
“For decision makers considering these survey results, it appears that the successful introduction of AI into healthcare will require human presence to remain to the fore, and fundamentally its enabling technology must deliver proven results in order to command both patient and staff confidence.”
