Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of using AI tools to (1) improve patient outcomes and, (2) reduce uncertainty in diagnoses.

The Department recognises the transformative potential of using artificial intelligence (AI) tools in health and care. In May 2024, more than 1.66 million patients were on a waiting list for a diagnostic test in England alone. AI has the potential to reduce this waiting list by ensuring that patients waiting for critical tests for diseases like cancer get faster diagnoses. Earlier diagnosis will, as a result, support better patient outcomes.

For example, in stroke care, a leading cause of death and disability in the United Kingdom, AI tools that are now in place in every stroke unit in England can halve the time it takes some patients to receive treatment. Early results also indicate that using these tools may triple the number of stroke patients achieving functional independence following a thrombectomy, considerably improving patient outcomes.

We are committed to transforming diagnostic services, including through AI tools, and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging and CT scanners.