#23. W/c 17th February '25
Alastair Allen
Partner, Head of Healthcare Technology at EY | Board Member at openEHR UK | Health and Social Care Council Member at TechUK
This week's newsletter covers:
? The UK Government’s AI Playbook;
? The use of synthetic data in healthcare;
? Meta's development of humanoid robots with potential healthcare impacts;
? The challenges facing the NHS, highlighted by administrative inefficiencies affecting patients;
? How a Single Patient Record could support research
? A wonderful essay by Joseph Monninger describing his final days in a small cabin without running water
AI Playbook for the UK Government
The UK Government has updated its Generative AI Framework, recognising AI's potential to drive innovation and economic growth. This expanded version encompasses all forms of AI, and aims to guide public servants in using AI responsibly and effectively.
The framework outlines ten principles for AI use in government, highlighting the importance of understanding AI's limitations, legal and ethical usage, security, human oversight, and lifecycle management. It encourages collaboration within the public sector and with external stakeholders, while also emphasising the need for skills development and compliance with organisational policies.
Synthetic Data and Health Privacy
The article explores the use of synthetic data in healthcare, particularly in the context of privacy concerns associated with generative artificial intelligence (GAI). GAI, including large language models, is increasingly used in healthcare for tasks like generating medical records and automating documentation, which calls for high-quality data. However, as the demand for private health data rises, it brings significant privacy challenges.
Synthetic data is proposed as a solution, aiming to mimic real patient data without exposing identifiable information. Unlike traditional AI that focuses on prediction and classification, GAI generates new content based on data patterns. Nevertheless, concerns persist over "memorisation", where AI accidentally replicates its training data, potentially leaking sensitive information.
The synthetic data market is rapidly growing, expected to reach $2.89 billion by 2028. Despite its potential, its adoption in healthcare is limited due to complex regulations and concerns about data quality and privacy. Synthetic data could assist by providing more diverse datasets, yet issues persist regarding re-identification risks and potential biases, especially with rare conditions or data outliers.
Legal frameworks like the EU AI Act recognise synthetic data as a privacy-preserving alternative for AI systems, yet gaps remain in addressing privacy standards. The classification of synthetic data under GDPR is still under debate.
Meta Is Developing Humanoid Robots. This Has Huge Potential For Healthcare
Meta is embarking on a new venture to develop AI-powered humanoid robots through its Reality Labs division, already known for successes in advanced wearables and virtual and augmented reality technologies. This initiative aims to expand the capabilities of Meta’s AI, particularly its Llama platform, an open-source large language model highly popular worldwide. Notably, Meta's innovations, such as AI glasses and the Orion augmented reality project, have laid a robust groundwork for this humanoid robotics venture.
In healthcare, humanoid robots offer significant potential. They could perform routine tasks, providing support to elderly patients and addressing labour shortages in clinical settings. Meta's technological advancements, such as the Meta Digit 360, an artificial finger sensor offering precise tactile data, could transform patient monitoring and assistance. While robotic assistance in healthcare is not new, with companies like Diligent Robotics already deploying products like the Moxi robot, Meta aims to enhance this with its advanced AI and robotics research.
Meta is not alone in this pursuit; firms like Tesla, Nvidia, and Figure AI are also making strides, indicating that the sector is poised for considerable advancements. This competition is expected to yield significant benefits for healthcare in the coming years.
Lost In The System: The Need For Better NHS Admin
The King's Fund highlights a pressing need for improved NHS administration, as inefficiencies affect patient experience, staffing, and public perception. Many patients report receiving appointment notifications post-date, struggling to alter bookings, and experiencing delays in test results.
Such issues exacerbate satisfaction decline, with less than 25% of the public satisfied with the NHS in 2023. Poor admin is a significant complaint driver, affecting those with disabilities and multiple conditions more acutely. Although good admin could improve patient experiences and reduce inequities, evidence-based examples are scarce. The report calls for recognition of admin's role in quality care within the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan.
Six steps for improvement are suggested: prioritising admin in policy agendas, measuring patient experience, setting local goals, enabling two-way communication, reducing patient admin burdens, and investing in staff development.
Read more: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/long-reads/lost-in-system-need-for-better-admin
Single patient record data will be available to researchers by default
The NHS is planning to implement a universal national patient record system, a significant element in their upcoming 10-year health plan. This initiative aims to enable seamless access to patient data for health professionals, patients, policymakers, and researchers. Among the key recommendations of a draft report from the digital and technology working group is the adoption of a single patient record system. This proposed system would make anonymised patient data accessible for research by default, with an opt-out option available.
The goal is to establish a universal record across all settings, making personal information accessible to involved health and care professionals (HCPs) under agreed access levels. The system envisions connecting to data from electronic patient records and remote monitoring devices, allowing for enhanced personal data submission via wearables.
The single patient record is expected to consolidate interactions and data, supporting improved coordination and clinical outcomes across multidisciplinary teams. The system also aims to replace numerous legacy services and improve digital infrastructure. This centralised record system intends to avoid the pitfalls of previous initiatives, like the NHS National Programme for IT.
Read more: https://www.digitalhealth.net/2025/02/single-patient-record-planned-across-health-and-social-care/
My Final Days on the Maine Coast
Not a digital health story, but a wonderful essay by Joseph Monninger, diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, who chose to spend his final months in a small cabin without running water on Maine's coast.
Despite the limitations imposed by his illness, he chooses to embrace a simpler, more serene life by the Pennamaquan River estuary, surrounded by the rich, changing life of the coastal landscape. His days are marked by rustic comforts such as watching Red Sox games, engaging with literature, sipping cocktails on his porch, and occasionally joining his neighbour on boating excursions.
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6 天前Really enjoyed this, Alastair,The UK’s AI Playbook lays a solid foundation, but its real impact depends on execution. Synthetic data is a game-changer for research, though ensuring diversity remains key. Meta’s robotics push is exciting, especially for tackling workforce gaps in healthcare. Looking forward to seeing these innovations in action—thanks for sharing!