Two weeks ago today, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and Howbeck Healthcare welcomed over 200 delegates and 15 companies to Chester Racecourse to discuss, debate and test out AI solutions to improve General Practice and to support better outcomes for patients.
Formal feedback is still coming in and is extremely positive, however my reflection is that this event felt like a really important step in the journey that our practices are taking to seize the opportunities that AI presents whilst also recognising the need for appropriate checks and balances to manage the inevitable risks.
I once heard a famous TV presenter (now a celebrity farmer) say on a ‘Top’ TV show (when testing a supercar), “This is not a car you drive, this is a car you hang on to” – thus, I think the real challenge for us when we consider AI in General Practice is – are we going to get ourselves in the position to drive the change or are we going to hang on as the inevitable changes happen around us in an uncoordinated and uncontrolled way?
Embracing the future in General Practice is difficult because of the disparate nature of Primary Care, however many practices are extremely innovative and are receptive to new ways of working, the challenge for the system is how we can encourage innovation by providing the leadership on governance, risk management and funding.
