Chapter 1: Introduction

An overview of Chapter 1.

This research is a collaboration between the NHS Artificial Intelligence (AI) Lab at the NHS Transformation Directorate and Health Education England. Its primary aim is to inform the development of education and training to develop healthcare workers’ confidence in AI.

The first report¹ for this research, ‘Understanding healthcare workers’ confidence in AI’, outlined a conceptual framework for understanding what factors influence confidence in AI among healthcare workers (see section 1.2). The main recommendation of that report was to develop and deploy educational pathways and materials for healthcare professionals at all career points and in all roles, to equip the workforce to confidently evaluate, adopt and use AI.

This second report aims to address that recommendation by identifying the key educational requirements to develop confidence in AI-driven technologies across the NHS workforce.

Audiences for this report

At a strategic level, the report can inform how Health Education England (HEE), educational and training providers and educators of healthcare workers plan, resource, develop and deliver educational offerings to equip the workforce with necessary knowledge, skills and capabilities.

Educational and training providers include (but are not limited to) the NHS Digital Academy, medical schools and other healthcare undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, Council of Deans, National Association of Clinical Tutors, Royal Societies ​and colleges, and other private ​and voluntary sector providers.

More specifically, the report can assist these entities and individuals to develop specific curricula and content for their educational and training offerings through the areas of knowledge, skills and capabilities listed in Chapter 3 and Appendix A.

The research involved a review of academic literature and semi-structured interviews exploring experiences of developing and using AI technologies in healthcare settings. Interviewees included healthcare workers in primary and hospital care settings; industry innovators; representatives of related regulatory and arm’s length bodies; and academics who work at the intersection of AI, healthcare, education and clinical confidence.

The research did not include workers and carers in social and community care settings, although some of the findings may be relevant to aspects of their work.

Appendix B provides a list of the individuals and organisations interviewed for this research.

References

¹ Nix M, Onisiforou G, Painter A. Understanding healthcare workers’ confidence in AI. Health Education England & NHS AI Lab. 2022. https://digital-transformation.hee.nhs.uk/binaries/content/assets/digital-transformation/dart-ed/understandingconfidenceinai-may22.pdf Accessed 29 June, 2022.