AI regulation workshop highlights need for clearer guidance for health and care professionals

A new report from the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) sets out emerging recommendations on how health and social care professionals should be guided and regulated when using artificial intelligence (AI), following a joint workshop with the University of Bristol.

Published on 29 April 2026, the report captures insights from regulators, Accredited Registers, academics, patients and service users who met in February to examine the ethical, professional and legal challenges posed by AI‑supported decision‑making in care settings. Participants explored real‑world scenarios and considered questions such as how far professionals should rely on AI recommendations and who is accountable when AI‑driven decisions lead to harm.

Key themes identified include the need for:

• Career‑long learning – ensuring professionals receive foundational and ongoing training in AI, including Continuing Professional Development.
• Better reporting mechanisms – making it easier for staff and patients to raise concerns and learn from AI use in practice.
• Shared responsibility – avoiding situations where frontline staff are blamed for system‑level risks, sometimes described as “moral crumple zones”.
• Diverse input – involving a wide range of voices, including patients and the public, in the development and oversight of AI tools.
• Flexible oversight – adopting step‑by‑step regulatory approaches that can keep pace with rapidly evolving technology.

The PSA will use the findings to inform its contribution to the UK National Commission on the Regulation of AI in Healthcare, led by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

The workshop, commissioned by the PSA and facilitated by University of Bristol academics Dr Helen Smith RN and Professor Jonathan Ives, brought together representatives from across the regulatory landscape to discuss both opportunities and risks associated with AI in care.

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