UK Government funded £150 million tender process
The UK government has launched a £150 million ($185 million) procurement drive for artificial intelligence solutions that can be used by the NHS in areas like medical imaging, predictive analytics, and R&D.
The request for information published by NHS' procurement division details six healthcare AI projects or 'lots' and invites bidders to submit their proposals by 21 February at 4am GMT, according to the procurement notice.
It has been published as the UK government has launched a shake-up of tech and AI usage across the NHS and other public services in a bid to "streamline public services, eliminate delays through improved data sharing, and reduce costs, including consultant spending."
It also follows the AI Opportunities Action Plan, which the government claims has attracted over £14 billion in investment since it was launched earlier this month.
- The first of the six lots, covering radiology and diagnostic imaging, focuses on technologies like AI algorithms and deep learning models that can support rapid diagnosis using medical imaging in areas like cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurology.
- The second is for AIs that can assist diagnosis and early detection of disease in pathology departments using samples such as digital slides from biopsies, tissue, cells, blood, and bone marrow; for example, by identifying patterns that cannot be detected in a normal clinical setting or lab.
- Third is a tender for technologies used in predictive analytics that can be used to forecast the number of patients likely to be admitted for care in the coming days or weeks to make sure the NHS has the staff and resources to meet demand and also to predict missed appointments due to factors like weather, traffic, and patient history.
- Next up are digital tools for R&D, with an emphasis on drug discovery and clinical trials. Among the specific applications are AIs that can analyse large datasets to identify potential drug candidates and help design and manage clinical trials; for example, by matching NHS patients to appropriate studies.
- Lot five – titled operational efficiency – is directed at improving resource management in hospitals, such as bed availability and staff allocation, in order to reduce waiting times, which are currently at record levels. It also covers tools that can help to manage the supply chains for medical supplies and medications and reduce waste.
- Finally, lot six is looking for consultancy to identify where AI can provide the most benefits, and training of NHS to deliver them.
