Designing an Algorithmically Enhanced National Health Service: Towards a Conceptual Framework for the Safe, Effective and Ethical Implementation of Artificial Intelligence in the NHS

The NHS is struggling with increasing demand and rising costs. One way of overcoming these challenges is to rely on data-driven technologies (AI), for example software programmes that can recognise abnormalities on scans. These technologies are complicated to implement and raise questions related to safety, efficacy and ethics that I wish to answer. I will use interviews with those developing these technologies, and using them within the NHS, and a review of relevant literature to develop four case studies of NHS AI implementations. I will use these case studies to develop a framework that can be used to ensure the safe, effective and ethical implementation of AI in the NHS. I will confirm this framework is correct with other experts. I intend for the framework to enable the NHS to put in place policies, regulations and guidelines that ensure the way the NHS uses AI is acceptable to the public.