The UK's National Health Service (NHS) is set to revolutionize patient care by introducing a groundbreaking cloud-based platform called AIR-SP (AI Research Screening Platform). This innovative system will enable trusts across the country to join trials of artificial intelligence in screening, helping to speed up diagnosis and treatment. Millions of patients could receive quicker diagnoses and treatment, as pioneering AI tools are tested on an unprecedented scale in NHS screening services.
The new platform, backed by nearly £6 million in government funding, will offer NHS staff access to revolutionary AI tools in trials to help analyze screening images and pinpoint abnormalities, including possible signs of cancer. Currently, the NHS lacks the digital tools to deploy AI in screening quickly, safely, and at scale - 90% of AI tools remain stuck in pilot phases due to over-reliance on temporary IT setups in each individual trust.
The AIR-SP platform will dramatically cut down the time and costs associated with rolling out AI research studies. It's expected to save £2-3 million for every multi-site study and enable multiple AI products to be tested in one secure environment. The platform will be used to support a historic National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)-funded trial, identifying changes in breast tissue that show possible signs of cancer and referring them for further investigations if required.
The government has also rolled out pioneering new technology to ensure that millions of cancer patients can receive a faster diagnosis. By enabling trusts and patients across the country to participate in landmark AI trials, it will combine cutting-edge technology with clinical expertise to improve care for patients as well as NHS productivity.
The introduction of AIR-SP is expected to have a significant impact on the NHS, enabling the health service to become a leader in AI technology and improving patient care. The platform is expected to be rolled out for research purposes in 2027 and will be a crucial step towards achieving the government's ambitions of moving from an analogue system to one that is fully digitized.
