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All 44 recommendations made by the National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare have been accepted by the government.
In a press release issued on 6 October 2026, the government said its acceptance commits the UK “to developing a world-leading agile approach to AI device regulation that supports innovation while maintaining patient safety and public trust”.
The commission published its report, and associated recommendations, on 10 September 2026, with the report stating that healthcare professionals need clarity on their responsibilities when using artificial intelligence.
It warned that “responsibility for errors may be transferred onto healthcare professionals and providers without sufficiently recognising the influences of AI systems and wider system design”, and called on the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), devolved health departments, regulators and royal colleges to take a coordinated approach to developing the use of AI in healthcare.
Responding, the government said the DHSC and devolved health departments would “commit to reviewing and identifying opportunities to more clearly allow responsibility allocation between manufacturer and providers”.
It also said it would support a “coordinated approach to improving AI literacy across the ecosystem”, which will establish “a shared baseline of general AI capabilities”, tailored towards different groups within the healthcare sector. The DHSC and the devolved healthcare departments, it said, would work with relevant groups to “ensure that capability expectations are embedded within existing professional education”.
The government will, the response said, ensure that providers support staff to meet existing training obligations, including those set out by professional regulatory bodies.
More details of these measures, it said, would be published by spring 2027.
Henrietta Hughes, deputy chair of the commission that wrote the report, and patient safety commissioner for England, said: “The government’s commitment to implement all 44 recommendations is an important step towards ensuring that innovation and patient safety go hand in hand.
“I particularly welcome the commitment to monitoring AI throughout its use in practice, strengthening patient involvement in decision-making and ensuring there are clear routes to redress when things go wrong.”
Commenting on the government adopting all recommendations from the report, Tase Oputu, president of the Royal College of Pharmacy, said: “The government’s acceptance of the commission’s recommendations is a positive step towards the safe and effective use of AI in healthcare. We welcome the move towards regulation and accountability across the lifecycle of AI-enabled technologies as they are used in practice.
“For pharmacy, this must also translate into practical, role-specific education and training so professionals understand the benefits and limitations of AI and when professional judgement must take precedence.
“Clear accountability is also essential. Pharmacy professionals should remain accountable for decisions within their control, and an important outcome will be clarity from across regulators about the health and care professional responsibilities associated with the use of AI in practice.”
