The debate about whether the UK clinical workforce will adopt AI is over. They already have. To understand the real impact it's had on the NHS, and where it's going, we need to hear from the people using it in practice. That's why Heidi brought together perspectives from NHS healthcare professionals across different specialties, in a comprehensive survey.
Across the NHS, nine in ten healthcare professionals now use AI in their clinical work, and 94% say their use has either grown or remained the same over the past year. This is technology solving a clear problem for an overstretched system, and the opportunity is huge.
This is the first time Heidi has asked NHS workers what they actually think about the moment they're living through.
Key highlights at a glance:
- 90% of NHS healthcare professionals are already using AI in their clinical work, with 94% saying that use has grown or held steady over the past year.
- 65% are largely navigating AI tools on their own initiative. The NHS workforce has already made the shift ahead of formal workplace guidance.
- 63% say AI is helping them sustain a longer, more manageable career. Against a growing NHS workforce shortfall, that's a retention story as much as an efficiency one.
- 35% cite patient privacy as their top concern, ahead of over-reliance and accuracy, meaning trust will be earned by the tools that take data protection seriously.
- 70% say their patients have a positive attitude towards AI being used in their care. The hesitation isn't coming from inside the consultation room.
