NHS staff are split on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, according to a new survey from the Health Foundation.
The survey, entitled ‘AI in health care: what do the public and NHS staff think?‘, asked more than 1,200 NHS staff if they currently see AI as an opportunity or a threat.
The results were ‘finely balanced’, with 44% of staff surveyed agreeing that ‘AI will mostly improve jobs in healthcare’ and 43% agreeing that ‘AI will mostly threaten healthcare jobs and professional status’.
Staff were also asked how much they agree with the statement ‘I look forward to using AI as part of my job’, with 57% agreeing and 17% disagreeing.
‘While views about the overall impact of AI on jobs in the healthcare sector might be finely balanced, staff seem much more positive when thinking about the prospect of using AI in their own role,’ the survey report states.
However, there are differences between NHS occupations in response to this question. Doctors and dentists, allied health professionals and those in scientific and technical roles were more likely to look forward to using AI. Nurses and midwives, those in administrative and clerical roles and those in other clinical services – such as healthcare assistants and healthcare support workers – were less likely to.
‘This highlights the varied perspectives of different staff groups on what AI means for healthcare, and reminds us that these technologies may have an uneven impact across the workforce, requiring tailored engagement and support,’ the report states.
This survey, took place in June and July 2024 and included 1,292 NHS staff members as well as 7,201 members of the public.
The results also revealed that three-quarters of the NHS staff surveyed (76%) said they support the use of AI for patient care, and an even greater proportion said they support the use of AI for administrative purposes (81%).
In addition, 54% of the UK public was supportive of AI being used for patient care, and 61% were in favour of its use for administrative purposes.
Around one in six members of the public (18%) and around one in 10 of the NHS staff surveyed (11%) think AI will make care quality worse, and nearly two-thirds of the NHS staff (65%) thinking AI will make them feel more distant from patients.
‘These results suggest that AI technologies will need to be designed and used in ways that protect or even enhance the human dimension of care,’ the report concludes.
Commenting on the survey results, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery, said: ‘This data shows NHS staff support for the role AI could play in healthcare and in helping them to do their jobs. But there is also scepticism and concern amongst some patients and staff about the impact on care quality, the accuracy of decision making by AI and worries that care could become less personal.
‘It is vital that as new technologies are developed and rolled out, the needs of patients and their families are put front and centre to ensure these new services are trusted and that risks are mitigated.
‘It is also important that the opportunities presented by AI advances to transform care for patients and improve access to services do not come at the expense of critical investment in core NHS digital and IT infrastructure or in developing the skills of staff who will need to adapt to these new ways of working.’
A survey from the Microsoft company Nuance in April 2024 found over a third of patients are in favour of clinicians using AI in consultations to improve documentation processes such as clinical letters.
A version of this article was originally published by our sister publication Healthcare Leader.
