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Healthcare professionals need clarity on their responsibilities when using artificial intelligence (AI), a government report has said.
The report — titled ‘National Commission into the regulation of AI in healthcare: recommendations for a future regulatory framework‘ — published on 10 September 2026, also recommended that regulations require standards or oversight for devices “where there is sufficient risk to patients”.
Under current negligence procedures, claims are disproportionately likely to be brought against healthcare professionals and healthcare providers because these have the clearest duty of care, the report suggested.
“Responsibility for errors may be transferred onto healthcare professionals and providers without sufficiently recognising the influences of AI systems and wider system design,” it warned.
Mark DasGupta, director of professional development at the Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA), said that many issues highlighted by the National Commission report “are consistent with concerns that the PDA has already identified” in guidance on the safe and effective use of AI in pharmacy practice, published in August 2026.
“As AI becomes increasingly integrated into healthcare systems and pharmacy workflows, questions about accountability, responsibility and liability are being raised more frequently. Pharmacists recognise that AI may influence decisions, but there remains uncertainty about how responsibility is shared between healthcare professionals, employers, organisations deploying AI systems and the developers of those systems,” he said.
“One of the key concerns identified by the PDA is that pharmacists may remain professionally accountable for decisions influenced by systems over which they have limited visibility or control.”
DasGupta added: “A coordinated approach to building professional capability could be beneficial in helping to establish consistent standards and understanding across healthcare professions. However, it should complement, rather than replace, profession-specific guidance and training.”
Recommendation 32 of the National Commission’s report said that stakeholders — including the Department of Health and Social Care and devolved health departments, regulators and royal colleges — should take a coordinated approach to developing the use of AI in healthcare.
It added that the approach should include initial education, postgraduate training and continuing professional development. Contracts between AI device manufacturers and healthcare providers should also include an explicit allocation of responsibilities for controlling risk, the report recommended.
Tase Oputu, president of the Royal College of Pharmacy, said: “In our contribution to the National Commission’s work, we highlighted the need for clear accountability across developers, suppliers, commissioners, providers and healthcare professionals.
“Pharmacy professionals should remain accountable for decisions within their professional control, but responsibility for risks, such as product defects, unsafe updates and organisational failures, should be allocated according to who is best placed to control and mitigate those risk across the AI lifecycle, rather than defaulting to frontline clinicians.
“We agree that clear, practical guidance is needed to help healthcare professionals understand their responsibilities when using AI, and we’re continuing to explore these issues with stakeholders through our digital and AI roundtables.”
Oputu added: “Recommendation 32 reflects a key point in our contribution to the [National] Commission’s work: pharmacy professionals need the right education, training and opportunities to develop the skills to use AI safely and effectively.
“Our existing policy also recognises the importance of building digital and AI capabilities across the pharmacy workforce, with education and training tailored to different roles and levels of interaction with AI.”
Kathie Cashell, chief executive of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), welcomed the report and said that the GPhC “will be carefully considering its recommendations”.
“We strongly agree with the recommendation that a coordinated approach is needed to building professional capability in the safe and effective use of AI in healthcare. We will continue to work closely with other regulators, the Professional Standards Authority and organisations across health and care to support safe, effective and responsible use of AI,” she continued.
“At the GPhC, we have recently published resources on the use of AI in pharmacy practice, revalidation and education and training and are planning further work in relation to AI as technologies continue to develop, including, for example, as part of the reviews of the standards we set for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and our standards for registered pharmacies.”
