Oxford University Hospitals receives funding for AI projects to cut NHS waiting times
Studies will test AI use in analysing head CTs, reporting chest X-rays and predicting lung cancer
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) is set to play a leading role in major artificial intelligence studies after receiving national funding.
The projects are among six across England to share more than £8 million from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
These are all aimed at improving patient care and reducing NHS waiting times.
The first OUH-led study, called SAMURAI-CT, will investigate whether AI can help doctors in emergency departments interpret head CT scans more quickly, helping to identify serious brain conditions and reduce delays in treatment.
The second project, SMART-XR, will explore whether AI can safely take on the task of reporting chest X-rays, potentially reducing the workload of radiologists and speeding up diagnosis for patients.
A third project involving OUH, known as SWIFT LUNG, has also secured funding to test AI technology that can predict lung cancer.
The projects are part of a wider Oxford-led programme developing ways to evaluate AI tools that could be used in the NHS.
Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Health and Social Care and Chief Executive of the NIHR, said the investment would help drive the NHS's transition to digital healthcare.
She said: "This important investment in AI and innovation will cut NHS waiting times, fast-tracking diagnoses and ensuring patients receive more accessible, efficient and high-quality care."