Towards Trustworthy, Equitable AI in the NHS

The rise of AI in healthcare brings enormous potential, but also significant risk. Without deliberate anti-racism action, existing racial inequalities can become embedded and scaled through AI tools and the health systems. This briefing is a summary of a roundtable convened in July 2026 by the NHS Race and Health Observatory with a host of stakeholders. It highlights why the NHS must act now to build equity, transparency, and accountability into AI development, implementation and governance, ensuring innovation improves healthcare outcomes for all patients and communities.