Reference Documents

The independent report by Matt Clifford CBE to devise an AI Opportunities Action Plan commissioned by the Sec. of Stat for Science, Innovation and Technology. (More about Matt Clifford CBE)

• The AI Opportunities Action Plan Government Response sets out the Government’s response, including the proposed implementation timeline, to each of the 50 recommendations. Particular attention should be given to those recommendations addressing:
  • Unlocking data assets in the public and private sector (recommendations 7-13)
  • Enabling safe and trusted AI development through regulation, safety and assurance (recommendations 23-30)
  • A number of the recommendations re explicitly linked to the Government’s Plan for Change missions, which includes, ‘Build an NHS fit for the future’; the ‘milestone’ for this mission is to meet the NHS RTT standard that 92% of patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to start consultant-led treatment of non-urgent health conditions – the Government intends to achieve this by focussing on:
    • Transforming how elective care is delivered
    • Transforming patients’ experience of care
    • Transforming the model of care to make it more sustainable.
  • The Action Plan recommendations to note are:
    • (3)  Strategically allocate sovereign compute by appointing mission[1]focused “AIRR programme directors” with significant autonomy
    • (26) Ensure all sponsor departments include a focus on enabling safe AI innovation in their strategic guidance to regulators
    • (31) SCAN – Appoint an AI lead for each mission to help identify where AI could be a solution within the mission setting, considering the user needs from the outset
    • (32) SCAN - A cross-government, technical horizon scanning and market intelligence capability that understands AI capabilities and use[1]cases as they evolve to work closely with mission leads and maximise the expertise of both
    • (40) SCALE - Mission-focused national AI tenders to support rapid adoption across decentralised systems led by the mission delivery boards
    • (46) In the next three months, the Digital Centre of Government should identify a series of quick wins to support the adoption of the scan, pilot scale approach and enable public and private sector to reinforce each other (NB. This includes running Hackathons, aligned to the 5 key missions to engage startups in mission delivery and to appoint an AI lead for each mission to help identify where AI could be a solution.)

This NICE Health technology evaluation (HTE20) published 14th January 2025, gives early value assessment (EVA) guidance on artificial intelligence technologies to help detect fractures on X-rays in urgent care. – Note: the Specialist Committee members included Azizul Haque, Consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.