The stark mismatch between government rhetoric around the use of artificial intelligence and its implementation in the NHS in England is highlighted in your article (‘Ridiculous’ cuts to AI cancer tech funding in England could cost lives, experts warn, 31 March).
At the 2024 Labour party conference, Wes Streeting told his audience that AI “is happening” and made specific mention of its use in the diagnosis of skin cancer. The reality is different. Although AI for the diagnosis of skin lesions has indeed been successfully piloted by NHS England, its rollout has been significantly slowed over the last 12 months because of uncertainty relating to an early value assessment (EVA) by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice). The EVA started in October 2023, with final recommendations only due to be published shortly. Nice is just not agile enough to move at the pace required for evaluating AI.
