AI is improving NHS communications practice, but adoption remains uneven
AI is transforming NHS communications, but investment is needed to improve access, capability and governance.
AI is transforming how NHS communications teams work, lifting productivity when resources are tight and public expectations are rising. But not everyone is getting the same benefits.
More than half (55%) of NHS communicators are already using AI tools, yet nearly half (48%) still describe themselves as beginners. A significant number don't have access to the tools or the training to use them confidently or safely.
This fragmented picture of enthusiasm balanced by concern, patchy access and uneven skills is the central finding of a new report from the NHS Communications AI Taskforce and the NHS Confederation.
The report, based on a survey of NHS communications professionals, focus groups, and expert review, presents both opportunities and risks in equal measure.
The productivity dividend is real
Where AI is being deployed effectively, the wins are clear and measurable. Communication tasks such as content drafting, simplifying jargon, and analysing feedback are becoming faster, more consistent, and less resource-intensive.
These aren't marginal gains. NHS communicators face surging demand across multiple channels while engaging diverse audiences with clarity, empathy and precision. In this context, AI functions as a practical enabling tool that amplifies human capability rather than replacing it.
Human oversight remains essential to ensure accuracy, empathy and alignment with NHS values. The research found no evidence that communicators were using AI to produce clinical or patient-related information without proper professional checks. This reinforces a critical principle: AI complements human expertise, rather than substituting for it.
The governance gap threatens progress
Much of today's AI adoption across NHS communications remains informal, unregulated and experimental. Without agreed-upon guardrails, practice will remain fragmented, with unmanaged risks to quality, trust and transparency.
This isn't just about inefficiency, it's about institutional risk. When AI deployment lacks structure, organisations risk reputational damage and eroding the public trust that defines effective healthcare communication.
The Taskforce recognises this challenge and is developing a national operating framework to establish clear boundaries on acceptable use, including data input, human oversight, content review and publication. While not constituting formal NHS policy, this framework will provide guidance to local NHS organisations as they develop their own AI policies.
Strategic choices for communications leaders
AI adoption in professional communications is accelerating, whether we manage it or not. The question isn't whether AI will reshape the function; it's whether that transformation happens through strategic leadership or unmanaged drift.
The NHS report demonstrates that effective AI implementation requires more than technological access. It demands governance structures, ethical frameworks and systematic capability development. Without these foundational elements, organisations risk replicating existing inequalities while undermining the trust they aim to build.
The opportunity is clear but time-limited for communications leaders. Shape the transformation actively, or watch it happen to you.
The full report is available on the NHS Confederation website. It has been co-authored by myself and Daniel Reynolds, with contributions from Ranjeet Kaile, Sonya Cullington, Richard Mountford and Sumit Wadhia.
The report forms part of a wider project being led by the NHS Communications AI Taskforce in partnership with the NHS Confederation. It was published last week to coincide with the launch of the NHS Communications AI Network.
