The CQC has shared progress on how its developing the regulatory model and assessment frameworks for the use of AI in health and social care, noting its role in assessing how AI meets fundamental standards, the impact on risks, safety or access to care, and to recognise when AI contributes to outstanding care.
Providers should follow a number of principles, the CQC explains, including the use of AI to enhance but not replace human decision making, human oversight and continual monitoring of outputs and processes, transparency and choice to support informed decisions, safety and reliability, and security.
Those using AI should be “sufficiently trained” and confident in its use, it continues, effective governance should be in place, DPIAs should be used to assess risks to privacy and data, and clear mechanisms should be present to address harms or issues caused by AI.
The updated regulatory model and new assessment frameworks are in development, according to the CQC, with focuses for 2026/27 to be on understanding impacts of AI use on care provision, looking at the implications of new assessment frameworks and what additional guidance may be needed, considering how to respond if AI causes risks to safety or access to care, and exploring ways of sharing best practice.
Supporting guidance will accompany the roll out of the frameworks, and continued engagement with other regulators, industry, and academic institutions will help ensure guidance remains up to date.
Wider trend: Health AI regulation and governance
HTN was joined for a deep dive into AI strategy, implementation, adoption, and opportunities by Neill Crump, group associate director of innovation & partnerships at The Dudley Group and Sandwell and West Birmingham, and Pip Hodgson, group digital transformation specialist at University Hospitals of Leicester and Northamptonshire. Our panel discussed their organisation’s approaches to AI and AI strategy, best practices in AI strategy development, Ambient Voice Technology and successful implementation, and the opportunities likely to be ahead with the next wave of AI.
The National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare has offered early insight into outcomes from a call for evidence attracting more than 770 responses, indicating strong support for regulatory reform and the need for further development in areas such as post-market surveillance and ongoing monitoring. Henrietta Hughes, patient safety commissioner and deputy chair of the commission, presented the findings, suggesting the response to the open call for evidence demonstrates “how strongly patients and the public want to be included as partners in the regulation of AI in healthcare”. The overarching message is clear, Hughes went on: trust is central, extending to the technologies themselves, their use, and how they are governed.
An AI policy from Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust has outlined its acceptable uses, practical guidance, and responsibility for the use of AI tools and systems. “The trust is committed to fostering a culture of innovation across all levels of the organisation, encouraging staff to explore new ideas, challenge conventional practices, and embrace creative solutions that enhance patient care, operational efficiency, and workforce wellbeing,” Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber states. “As part of this commitment, we actively support the responsible exploration and integration of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.”
