The NHS is to develop a world-first AI technology that will scan systems to flag safety issues, which could help hospitals identify patterns of abuse, serious injuries, deaths, or other incidents that can slip through the net.
When concerns are raised, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will send in specialist teams as soon as possible to investigate and take action.
This follows growing concerns around the safety of the NHS, after recent scandals in mental health and maternity services. This new safety warning system is being developed as part of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan through analysing databases, with a new Maternity Outcomes Signal System already underway, set to launch in November. This will use real-time data to monitor stillbirth, neonatal death and brain injury rates, raising the alarm if these rise, and follows on from the independent investigation into NHS maternity that was called last week.
It will be built on the NHS Federated Data Platform, which allows healthcare staff to securely access the information they need in one place.
Health and social care secretary, Wes Streeting, said: “While most treatments in the NHS are safe, even a single lapse that puts a patient at risk is one too many. Behind every safety breach is person—a life altered, a family devastated, sometimes by heart-breaking loss.
“Patient safety and power are at the heart of our 10 Year Health Plan. By embracing AI and introducing world-first early warning systems, we’ll spot dangerous signs sooner and launch rapid investigations before harm occurs.
“This technology will save lives—catching unsafe care before it becomes a tragedy. It’s a vital part of our commitment to move the NHS from analogue to digital, delivering better safer care for everyone.”
Professor Meghana Pandit, co-national medical director for secondary care, said: “The NHS in England will be the first country in the world to trial an AI-enabled warning system to flag patient safety issues which will proudly analyse routine hospital data and reports submitted by healthcare staff from community settings.
“The move will turbocharge the speed and efficiency with which we identify patient safety concerns and enable us to respond rapidly to improve patient care.”
