Applications have opened for the sixth cohort of the NHS Fellowship in Clinical AI, offering applicants the chance to be matched with existing clinical AI projects within the NHS to learn about the safe deployment and evaluation of AI in clinical workflows.
The fellowship is designed to run for 12 months, with successful applicants receiving salary cover for two days (15 hours) per week of time to commit to their study. Partial remote working and flexible hours may be available depending on the project.
Fellows will receive a certificate of completion following their completion of the programme, and will also receive clinical safety training at the level of the Digital Clinical Safety Practitioner course, offering the potential for progression to clinical safety officer roles.
The person specification sets out essential requirements covering effectively communicating with key stakeholders in clinical AI; working “energetically” as part of an MDT team; and advanced ICT proficiency such as the capability to use advanced functions in Office applications, and the ability to solve technical problems. Desirable experience is also outlined as experience with quality improvement, clinical trials, digital transformation, programming, statistical analysis, and clinical informatics.
The deadline for applications is 16 November 2026, with invitations to the interview stage to be sent out on 11 December, and matching with AI projects to take place in February 2027. The cohort will officially launch on 11 August 2027.
Wider trend: Digital skills
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has taken a face-to-face approach to deliver AI training across its workforce, aiming to make AI learning more accessible and help staff understand how Copilot can help to support them in their day-to-day roles. The training is taking place aboard the trust’s Health Bus, which has so far visited sites including Prospect Park and West Berkshire Community Hospital. It reportedly uses practical demonstrations and real-world examples to show colleagues the capabilities of Copilot.
The Department of Health and Social Care has opened a preliminary market engagement to support plans to develop a national workforce development framework and curriculum designed to promote consistency in skills, competencies, training, and professional development. With a maximum value of £1.3 million, the contract is split into two phases, with the first to establish the framework covering core competencies and skills, guidance on supervision models, advice on career progression, and principles for continuing professional development. An evidence and landscape review, along with structured stakeholder engagement, will also be carried out and fed into a report setting out baseline competencies and recommendations.
For a session exploring best practices around building workforce digital literacy and skills, HTN was joined by an expert panel from across the health sector, including Shanker Vijayadeva, GP lead – digital transformation in primary care, London Region, NHS England; Neill Crump, associate director for innovation and partnerships at The Dudley Group and Sandwell and West Birmingham; and Rebecca Ellis, associate director for education at Moorfields Eye Hospital.
