Most doctors in UK think AI training is inadequate

A survey has shown that UK doctors think AI can help them save time and expand their capacity to care for patients, but three-quarters of them believe its potential is being undermined by gaps in training.

This year's Future Health Index (PDF) poll – sponsored by tech company Philips – also found that more than half (56%) of doctors are turning to personal AI tools because workplace systems are not meeting their needs.

Where AI is being used, it is delivering a tangible impact, with 42% of UK clinicians reporting that AI-enabled tools save them an average of more than 132 hours a year, and around a third (36%) saying it is helping them to see more patients – an average of seven more per week.

That adds up to improved work-life balance, with 49% of doctors saying AI has helped to reduce stress and 47% reporting that they were doing less overtime or out-of-hours work at home.

"These findings come at a critical moment for the NHS. Healthcare teams are facing rising demand, persistent workforce shortages and pressure to reduce waiting lists, while also adapting to one of the most significant technological shifts in decades," said Mark Leftwich, managing director of Philips UK & Ireland.

"What stands out is the pace of change," he added. "Clinicians are already using AI to save time, support decision-making and create more capacity for patient care. Healthcare systems are now having to evolve around that reality."

There were some signs of that recognition this week when NHS England said it was making Microsoft's Copilot AI assistant available to more than 500,000 staff, after a pilot study suggested it could reduce administrative work by around 43 minutes per day – equivalent to two days per month.

The AI personal assistant "helps clinicians to draft documents and analyse data more efficiently to focus more time on patient care" and could be a "gamechanger" for the health service, according to NHS England's chief digital, data, and technology officer, Rob Thompson.

The Future Health Index report suggests the next phase of AI adoption will depend less on access to technology itself, and more on how effectively healthcare organisations support workforce readiness, strengthen governance and embed AI safely into everyday clinical practice.

"AI is not a replacement for clinicians, but it can help give valuable time back to healthcare teams. The challenge now is making sure these benefits can be scaled safely and consistently," said Leftwich.

"Clinicians are already changing how they work with AI. Healthcare organisations need the infrastructure, training and governance to help turn that momentum into lasting improvements in patient care."

Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan on Unsplash