Responding to the government's announcement of new funding for technology in the NHS, RCN Chief Nursing Officer, Professor Lynn Woolsey, said:
“Today’s announcement could be an important step in upgrading technology in the NHS. We should be under no illusion though about just how far the NHS needs to go. With some community nursing staff in 2026 still without mobile phones, while others in the system are forced to share painfully slow computers with poor connectivity, improvements to basic IT infrastructure must come first.
“New digital technology like AI notetaking could ease the administrative burden on nursing staff, freeing up their precious time for frontline care. But there are also warnings to heed, with growing concerns about overstated, overly-optimistic assessments of the productivity benefits from AI. We cannot have situations where it increases bureaucracy through the need to correct flawed or inaccurate work.
“Patient safety must be at the heart of any AI triage system, with a guarantee that a health professional will be the one making decisions at key points in that process. Patients must be reassured that any new systems handling their information, such as ambient voice technology, are accurate and properly protect confidentiality. Privacy and safety cannot be afterthoughts, with everyone deserving to know how and by whom their sensitive data is being used. To give staff confidence in the systems they are required to use there needs to be a proper plan for implementation and appropriate safeguards in place, ensuring the shift to new ways of working is properly managed.
“No amount of new technology will avoid the very real need to invest in our workforce, in the face of dangerous understaffing, growing demand and ever more complex needs. AI and new digital technology must be deployed with proper guardrails, staff training and anti-bias safeguards. This is a critical opportunity for the incoming government to listen and engage with the vital staff who will have to use these new systems on a daily basis and who are critical for ensuring the safety of patients.”
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