Over 55% of NHS communications professionals are now using AI tools, with 41% more showing interest. But a new report reveals adoption is patchy, with skill gaps and limited access slowing progress
Artificial intelligence is revolutionising the way the NHS communicates with patients and staff – streamlining processes, enhancing engagement, and saving time. While some healthcare organisations are already reaping significant benefits, a new report from the NHS Confederation underscores the potential of AI to transform the system. Despite the current uneven adoption, with disparities in resources, digital maturity, and leadership, the future of AI in NHS communications is promising.
55% of NHS communication professionals use AI
The report finds that AI is helping NHS communications teams with content creation, simplifying complex information, improving accessibility, analysing data, and enhancing efficiency. The use of AI within the NHS follows budget cuts and rising demands on communication teams.
The report called upon survey data from 414 NHS communications professionals, three focus groups and desk research. It forms part of a wider project being led by the NHS Communications AI Taskforce in partnership with the NHS Confederation.
The key findings are:
- More than half (55%) of NHS communications professionals are using AI tools, with a further 41% expressing interest in adopting them.
- However, uptake is uneven, with many teams lacking access to the necessary tools or skills. Much of the current use remains informal, and almost half (48%) of respondents describe themselves as being at a ‘beginner’ level.
- For those communications teams using AI, it helps them work faster and with greater confidence, particularly when simplifying technical language into plain English, generating first drafts, or analysing feedback from patients and staff.
However, the report emphasises that human oversight remains crucial to ensure the accuracy, empathy, and alignment with NHS values in AI-generated content. This is particularly vital in patient-facing information that is medically related. The research did not find any evidence of communicators using AI to produce clinical or other patient-related information without the appropriate checks by professionals. AI is, therefore, seen as a complement to and an assistant of human expertise, not a replacement, providing a reassuring balance.
Widespread informal use of AI across the NHS
The report outlines recommendations to be applied by the NHS Communications AI Taskforce in partnership with the NHS Confederation:
- The report calls for more structured governance arrangements to ensure communicators use AI tools in the most effective and responsible ways. This will help address the widespread informal use of AI. Without agreed-upon guardrails, practice will remain fragmented, with unmanaged risks to quality, trust, and transparency. The task force is developing a national operating framework that will establish clear boundaries for acceptable use, including data input, human oversight, content review, and publication. While not constituting formal NHS policy, the framework will guide local NHS organisations when developing their own AI policies, providing a sense of security and responsibility. Ethics framework: As AI becomes embedded in communications workflows, a strong ethical foundation is essential to retain public trust and safeguard NHS values. The task force will develop an ethics framework that outlines the principles and values guiding the use of AI, addressing key issues such as data protection, privacy, consent, fairness, transparency, and human oversight.
- Sharing best practice and training: AI can improve clarity, reduce jargon and enhance health literacy, but only when used thoughtfully and with audience needs in mind. The Taskforce will create an online innovation and training hub to support NHS communicators. It will help develop tools to support safe experimentation, including quality prompts, ethical checklists and peer feedback frameworks.
Commenting on the report, Ranjeet Kaile, director of communications, stakeholder engagement and public affairs at South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and South East London Integrated Care Board, said: “AI is transforming how NHS communications teams work, but we must ensure that its use is safe, equitable and aligned with our values. This report is a call to action for investment in training, governance and access to tools so that all teams – regardless of size or experience – can benefit.”
Daniel Reynolds, director of communications at the NHS Confederation, said: “A consistent theme across our research is that AI should enhance, not replace, the human qualities that define NHS communications. Trust, empathy, tone and evidence must remain at the core of what we do – this is vitally important in an institution like the NHS, where public trust is everything. However, AI is undoubtedly helping to improve communication practices – both adding to our creativity and delivering efficiencies. We need to embrace the opportunities offered by AI while moving away from the informal use that is currently prevalent in NHS communications. Now is the time to put the firm governance and ethics frameworks in place that will help ensure safe adoption.”
Stephen Waddington, professional advisor at Wadds Inc, who co-authored the report, said: “As AI capabilities evolve rapidly, NHS communicators are increasingly curious about how these tools could help them meet these challenges. However, access to tools, confidence in their use and organisational readiness remain highly variable across the NHS. We now need to develop clear governance, training and shared learning to ensure that early AI adoption doesn’t become fragmented, inconsistent or widen capability gaps between teams.”
The report will be further discussed at the launch event of the new NHS Communications AI Network, hosted by the NHS Confederation and overseen by the Taskforce.
Five strategic priorities for NHS communications
The NHS Confederation and the task force have also identified five strategic priorities for action with a clear delivery route.
- Develop a national operating framework for the use of AI in NHS communications.
- Establish an NHS Communications AI Network. This will connect peers to develop their use of AI by sharing practical insights and feedback on approaches that help NHS organisations utilise AI to enhance their communication with staff, patients, and communities. This is launching on 26 June.
- Develop an ethics framework that sets out the principles and values guiding our use of AI, addressing crucial issues such as data protection, privacy, consent, fairness, transparency, and human oversight.
- Establish an online innovation and training hub as a centre of excellence platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange.
- Develop a long-term monitoring and evaluation system to ensure accountability and continuous improvement.
