Three quarters (75%) of the public support sharing some of their personal health data to aid the development of artificial intelligence (AI) systems in the NHS, a Health Foundation report has found.
The research surveyed 7,201 people across the UK between June and July 2024 and found that 29% were happy for any of their health data to be used to develop AI systems and a further 46% were happy to use ‘some’ of their data for this purpose.
A quarter of people (25%) however were not happy to share any of their data for this purpose.
When surveyed about the type of data being shared, 59% were willing to share data on eye health, 58% on the medicines they are taking and 57% were willing to share long-term conditions, dental health and medical test data, such as blood tests or scans.
However, less than half (47%) were willing to share smartphone-tracked data, such as sleep activity, and only 44% were happy to share sexual health information.
Those from lower socio-economic households were significantly less likely to support the use of their health data for developing AI technologies compared to those from other socio-economic groups.
Those of a higher managerial level, administrative or professional in their work, were more likely to think that using technology makes the quality of healthcare better, with 65% of this group saying this, compared to just 41% of casual or lowest-grade workers and others who depend on the welfare state for their income.
The survey also showed that most people trust the NHS with their health data, with 68% saying they trust GP practices and 66% stating trust in local NHS hospitals and clinics.
However, only 40% said they trusted companies providing the NHS with software to collect, store and use data.
The report called for policymakers and NHS leaders to ‘actively engage with the public to understand and address concerns’, especially with social groups who are less supportive.
Director of innovation and improvement at the Health Foundation, Dr Malte Gerhold, said: ‘It is only with the public’s support that the Government will successfully achieve its ambition of shifting the NHS from analogue to digital.
‘It is encouraging that most people are open to sharing their data to develop AI systems in the NHS. When properly implemented, we know that AI has the potential to free up staff by supporting clinical and administrative tasks. However, these systems are only as good as the data used to design and develop them.’
However, he added: ‘There are significant differences between socioeconomic groups in levels of support for sharing data for AI development and for taking part in activities to shape how technology is used in the NHS.
‘Policymakers, NHS leaders and those involved in designing and implementing healthcare technologies must proactively engage with people across different social groups to ensure that healthcare technologies help tackle inequalities, rather than worsen them.’
In July, a survey from the Health Foundation revealed that NHS staff and patients are both split on the use of AI in healthcare.
And in April a white paper from the Microsoft company Nuance reported that over a third of patients are in favour of clinicians using AI in consultations to improve documentation processes such as clinical letters.
A version of this article was originally published by our sister publication Healthcare Leader.