Chris Whitehouse, a political consultant and expert on medical technology policy and regulation at Whitehouse Communications, shares registration details for a forthcoming public engagement event on the safe use of AI in healthcare.
The Patient Safety Commissioner, Professor Henrietta Hughes, has announced a public engagement session further to give patients a voice on the safe use of AI in healthcare.
The event, billed as an “Ask me anything” opportunity, will also include the Chair of the National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare, Professor Alastair Denniston, Professor of Regulatory Science and Innovation at the University of Birmingham, and the Chief Executive of medicines and medical devices regulator the MHRA, Lawrence Tallon.
The event will be held online on Wednesday 20th May. Those wishing to attend the event can register here and submit questions in advance.
The announcement of the event was included in a Blog Post by Professor Hughes on the MHRA website. The postconfirms that the recommendations of the National Commission’s are on track to be published this summer; and says that “They will be shaped by the collective insight of many voices, because the future of AI regulation in healthcare will not be shaped by one voice, but by many”.
The event, says Professor Hughes, is the next step in an engagement programme through which the MHRA has worked closely with patients and communities, including those often left out of these conversations, such as people with learning disabilities, carers and young people, in partnership with National Voices, which represents over 200 patient advocacy groups. It has also supported in‑depth public discussion sessions delivered by The Health Foundation with polling organisations, and consultations with the MHRA’s own Patient and Public Community.
These discussions, writes Professor Hughes, show that people are more comfortable with AI supporting clinicians, for example by reducing administrative burden, than making high‑stakes decisions independently. There is strong emphasis on human oversight, transparency, and evidence that these technologies work safely for everyone. Across all engagement, she says, a consistent picture emerges that trust is central to whether the benefits of AI in healthcare can be realised.
The Author used AI in preparing this article. Comments upon or questions about this article can be addressed to chris.whitehouse@whitehousecomms.com.
