UK Launches National Commission to Accelerate NHS AI Adoption

The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has established the UK National Commission on the Regulation of AI in Healthcare to advise on rewriting the regulatory framework for AI in healthcare, aiming to publish new rules in 2026. The commission includes experts from big tech companies like Google and Microsoft, clinicians, researchers, and patient advocates, and seeks to accelerate NHS access to AI technologies, particularly those currently hindered by regulatory uncertainty such as AI assistants for doctors and ambient voice technology. Early trials of these AI tools have demonstrated benefits including reduced administrative burdens, increased patient throughput in emergency departments, and more clinician time spent with patients. The commission will also address regulatory clarity for AI applications in radiology, pathology, and virtual care systems, supporting the NHS's digital transformation under the government's Plan for Change and 10-Year Health Plan for England. This initiative is viewed as a cultural shift in regulation, aiming to maintain patient safety and public trust while fostering innovation and positioning the UK as a global hub for health tech investment. The new framework is expected to drive both patient benefits and economic growth in the life sciences sector.