✅ AI is improving NHS communications practice, but adoption remains uneven
Investment is needed to improve access, capability and governance.
AI is transforming how NHS communications teams work, lifting productivity when resources are tight and public expectations are rising. But not all areas of practice are getting the same benefits.
More than half (55%) of NHS communicators are already using AI tools, yet nearly half (48%) still describe themselves as beginners. A significant number don't have access to the tools or the training to use them confidently or safely.
This fragmented picture of enthusiasm and innovation balanced by concern, patchy access and uneven skills is the central finding of a new report from the NHS Communications AI Taskforce and the NHS Confederation.
The report, based on a survey of NHS communications professionals, focus groups, and expert review, presents both opportunities and risks in equal measure.
The productivity dividend is real
Where AI is being deployed effectively, the wins are clear and measurable. Communication tasks such as content drafting, simplifying jargon, and analysing feedback are becoming faster, more consistent, and less resource-intensive.
These aren't marginal gains. NHS communicators face a growing demand across multiple channels while engaging diverse audiences with clarity, empathy and precision. In this context, AI functions as a practical enabling tool that amplifies human capability.
Human oversight is critical to ensure accuracy, empathy and alignment with NHS values. The research found no evidence that communicators were using AI to produce clinical or patient-related information without proper professional checks.
The governance gap threatens progress
Much of today's AI adoption across NHS communications remains informal, unregulated and experimental. Without agreed-upon guardrails, practice will remain fragmented, with unmanaged risks to quality, trust and transparency.
The Taskforce recognises this challenge and is developing a national operating framework to establish clear boundaries on acceptable use, including data input, human oversight, content review and publication. While not constituting formal NHS policy, this framework will guide local NHS organisations as they develop their own AI policies.
Strategic choices for communications leaders
AI adoption in professional communications is accelerating, whether we manage it or not. The question isn't whether AI will reshape the function; it's whether that transformation happens through strategic leadership or unmanaged drift.
The NHS report demonstrates that effective AI implementation requires more than technological access. It demands governance structures, ethical frameworks and systematic capability development. Without these foundational elements, organisations risk replicating existing inequalities while undermining the trust they aim to build.
The opportunity is clear but time-limited for communications leaders. Shape the transformation actively, or watch it happen to you.
The full report is available on the NHS Confederation website. It has been co-authored by myself and Daniel Reynolds, with contributions from Ranjeet Kaile, Sonya Cullington, Richard Mountford and Sumit Wadhia.
The report forms part of a wider project being led by the NHS Communications AI Taskforce in partnership with the NHS Confederation. It was published to coincide with the launch of the NHS Communications AI Network.
Have a good week ahead.
Industry
💪 VISIBLE POWER: The Socially Mobile Missing Women study highlights visibility as a catalyst for change, while role models break barriers and inspire ambition in underserved communities. The Women in PR 40 Over 40 PowerList exemplifies this, celebrating trailblazing leaders whose impact empowers the next generation of communicators. Source: Women in PR.
🏆 CANNES CHALLENGE: At Cannes, public relations agencies continue to battle for parity with adland, championing earned-first creativity that delivers both brand value and societal impact. Jury president Tom Beckman called for humility, celebrating the strength of public relations in offbeat, inventive solutions that keep the field dynamic and essential. Source: Earned First.
🎭 FAKE FORTUNES: A Press Gazette investigation questions the authenticity of public relations-driven stories about lost lottery wins linked to a casino site after the supposed winners vanished without a trace. Agency Signal the News insists the tales were verified, yet could provide no records or proof, highlighting growing concerns about fabricated case studies used for media placement and SEO gain. Source: Press Gazette.
Technology and platforms
🚨 TRUST ERODED: Google has quietly stopped highlighting fact-checks in its search results by dropping ClaimReview support, making verified debunks less visible and threatening users’ access to reliable information. It heightens concern that, amid AI-driven overviews and reduced moderation, high-quality journalism and trustworthy content will be harder to find. Source: Full Fact.
😊 POSITIVE PITCH: BBC News is tackling rising news avoidance with The Upbeat, a weekly newsletter curating inspiring and lighthearted stories. With 160,000 UK subscribers and strong engagement, it’s part of a strategy to build a habit among disengaged audiences, especially younger and female readers, without resorting to fluff or celebrity filler. Source: Press Gazette.
Research and insight
📊 BALANCED INSIGHT: The Institute of Directors has introduced a Balanced Scorecard for Government, applying a business-tested, KPI-driven framework to assess the UK government’s economic performance and enhance transparency. The initiative actively holds policymakers to account and aims to foster sustainable economic growth by measuring and reporting on key strategic metrics. Source: Institute of Directors.
🤖 AI LITERACY: COMM-AIT, developed by Leipzig University and backed by Siemens, is the first validated AI literacy test for communications professionals. This free online tool offers a personalised AI Competency Index to help practitioners assess and advance their strategic and ethical use of AI. Source: Leipzig University.
Tools
🎬 SCRIPT SMART: Sophia Smith Galer has launched Sophiana, an AI-powered app that transforms articles into algorithm-optimised video scripts with a built-in teleprompter, cutting production time for journalists tackling TikTok and Instagram. Backed by Women in Journalism’s Georgina Henry Award, Sophiana is designed to boost credible content and combat disinformation where it spreads most rapidly. Source: Women in Journalism.
Thanks to Sophia Smith Galer, Mags L Halliday, Arun Sudhaman, Alan Morrison, Alex Waddington, Sarah Waddington CBE and everyone who shares and debates the stories in the newsletter via our Facebook and LinkedIn communities.
Sarah is a director of Wadds Inc. We are both founders and directors of Socially Mobile.
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This is fascinating. With declining levels of public trust - as shown by Edleman's annual Trust Barometer report - the ethical use of AI by communications professionals is critical. Organisational leaders, in particular, have a huge responsibility to fact check and ensure the messages they are putting out into the world are doing good and not adding more harm to an increasing polarised world. As communicators frequently draft those messages, it's essential they know how to use AI well.