AI Champions announced to drive responsible artificial intelligence in UK health and social care
Doctors and medical experts have been appointed as AI champions to lead the introduction of responsible artificial intelligence in the NHS and health and care sectors.
The Responsible Ai UK (RAi UK) has launched its flagship AI Champions initiative, a pioneering effort designed to drive AI expertise within the NHS and the broader healthcare sector. This initiative will be instrumental in fostering a network of AI advocates dedicated to advance the responsible development and deployment of AI technologies across the healthcare system. This network will drive the deployment of effective, relevant AI technologies that address real-world healthcare needs, while ensuring these technologies are used responsibly to enhance patient outcomes and streamline healthcare processes.
Led by the RAi UK Health and Social Care Working Group, the initiative is supported by key partners across the healthcare and technology sectors. Professor Prokar Dasgupta, Chair of the RAi UK Working Group in Health and Social Care, highlighted the importance of AI Champions: “The NHS consists of hospital trusts and GP practices, and having an AI champion in each of these places will ensure AI integration at the grassroots level. This grassroots approach is crucial for making AI popular and effective within the NHS.
Launching the initiative, Professor Ian Abbs, Chief Executive Officer, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust said “As a community at the forefront of a fundamental scientific shift, we bear the responsibility to harness this moment for the benefit of global societies. In healthcare, current models are unsustainable, and we must redefine pathways and delivery systems, integrating AI and other technologies to ensure high-quality care.” He further added “Our collective effort involves engaging in purposeful conversations across academia, healthcare, policy, and the public, advocating for technological solutions and governance models that secure a sustainable future. Together, with our AI Champions, we must shape and advance this agenda, ensuring government and policy makers understand the imperative of beginning this transformative journey today.”
Professor Gopal Ramchurn, CEO – RAi UK, said, “We are excited to be partnering with Guy’s and St Thomas hospital and other key actors in the health and care ecosystem in launching this initiative. But this is only the beginning of a much broader engagement across the health and care landscape which is incredibly complex. RAi will ensure the AI Champions are supported in their mission to deliver responsible AI in their organisations and lead the sector.”
The initiative has brought together a multidisciplinary team including clinicians, doctors, AI experts, social scientists, academia, and ethicists. This diverse team is crucial for developing responsible AI protocols and ensuring ethical standards in AI deployment. “Upfront protocols done in a responsible fashion are key to standardized and effective studies,” noted Professor Dasgupta.
The role of AI in mental health and equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is particularly significant. AI is emerging as a transformative tool to integrate mental and physical health. This combined picture allows for earlier detection of mental health issues that might manifest in physical ways, and vice versa. Professor Elvira Perez Vallejos, one of the AI Champions and Chair RAi UK Equities Pillar, said “While AI isn’t a replacement for human care, it holds promise for a more integrated and personalised approach to overall well-being. This aligns with a salutogenic approach of focusing on health and resilience.”
Championing AI for the Future
The RAi UK Health and Social Care Working Group aims to champion responsible research and innovation within the rapidly changing field of AI in health and social care settings within the UK. By recognising AI champions, RAi UK aims to facilitate the responsible use of AI, improving patient care and addressing critical challenges in the healthcare system. The initiative calls for forward-thinking individuals with great vision to champion integrating AI responsibly into healthcare. The launch of the AI Champions initiative took place during the recently held ‘UKRI AI in Health and Social Care Symposium’ at The Royal Society, London, highlighting the importance of responsible AI in the healthcare sector.
The following AI Champions were recognised at the inaugural event:
| Dr Anthony Wilson | Chief Medical Informatics Officer, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust |
| Dr Clarissa Carvalho | Consultant Anaesthetist, Joint Clinical Lead for IT/EHR, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust |
| Prof Elvira Perez Vallejos | Chair- RAi UK Equities Pillar, Professor of Digital Technology for Mental Health, RAi UK, University of Nottingham |
| Mr Grigorios Athanasiadis | Consultant Urological Surgeon, University of Aberdeen |
| Prof Hutan Ashrafian | Lead for Applied AI and Big Data Analytics, Imperial College London |
| Prof Naeem Soomro | Professor of Urology, EPSRC Northern Health Futures Hub Co-Director, Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust |
| Mr Nicholas Raison | Senior Clinical Lecturer, Consultant Urological Surgeon, King’s College London |
| Prof Nikhil Vasdev | University of Hertfordshire, East and Professor and Chair or Robotic Surgery, North Hertfordshire NHS Trust |
| Prof Nitin Shrotri | Visiting Professor, Consultant Urologist, Queens: Institute of Medicine, University of Bolton |
| Dr Ol’tunde Ashaolu | Consultant Emergency Medicine & Surgery, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust |
| Prof Radu Calinescu | Professor of Computer Science, University of York |
| Prof Tim Underwood | Professor of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Head of Cancer Sciences Academic Unit, University of Southampton, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust |
The RAi UK Health and Social Care Working Group will focus on several key activities over the next few years, including evaluating the current state of AI adoption in health and social care in the UK and identifying barriers to effectiveness and contributions to inequities. They will map the surrounding ecosystem and necessary skills to accelerate AI uptake, refine initial assessments to prioritize areas of greatest need and impact, and deliver comprehensive outputs such as a map of deployable AI products, reports and white papers on responsible AI deployment, recommended reporting standards, and skills courses for the health and care workforce. They will keep growing this network of AI Champions to support and advocate for responsible AI use in healthcare and proactively engage with sector-wide stakeholders through workshops, roundtables, and other collaborative events to ensure all voices are heard.
The group brings together cross-sector stakeholders to tackle research challenges, drive research, evidence-based policies, and foster engagement and trust in health and social care.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
About RAi UK
With a £35 million UKRI investment, RAi UK is a program dedicated to delivering interdisciplinary research and fostering an international ecosystem for Responsible AI research and innovation. Through extensive consultations across the UK, RAi UK has identified emerging challenges in responsible AI and has deployed over £15 million into projects aimed at accelerating the adoption of responsible AI practices and technologies. RAi UK brings research-based expertise that is connective, adaptive, and world-leading through field-building, and engagement with communities, publics, industries, and governments. For more information on the AI Champions initiative or to get involved, please contact RAi UK.
Media Contact:
Kavita Mittal
Communications Manager – RAi UK
K.Mittal@soton.ac.uk