The government has announced £30 million to boost AI across the NHS.

The money will be used to expand AI technology to every NHS Trust in England while also piloting the next generation.

Supported by £20 million of government funding, by 2029, radiologists will gain access to AI-powered X-ray tools that act as a virtual ‘second pair of eyes’. The tech is already available in half of England's NHS trusts and is helping patients receive a faster diagnosis or all-clear by improving patient care routes.

The technology helps radiologists analyse scans in an average of just four days, compared to eight days for the most complex cases previously.

The funding is part of the AI Diagnostic Fund.
 

Health and Social Care Secretary, James Murray said: "For too many patients, a cancer diagnosis tragically comes too late. These AI tools are already changing that - giving radiologists a sharper eye, cutting waiting times, and getting people the lifesaving treatment they need faster.

"Rolling this out to every NHS Trust in the country means millions more patients will benefit, and that is exactly the kind of change this government is determined to deliver – regardless of where you live.

"This is what shifting the NHS from analogue to digital looks like in practice. Backed by new investment to test the next generation of technology, we are building an NHS that is fit for the future - and faster for every patient who needs it."