Bumps in the road in the quest for automation

HEALTH officials and ministers have repeatedly pinned their hopes on technology to save the NHS from everincreasing pressures.

Last week the Health Secretary announced a review of the use of robotics and artificial intelligence with training for thousands of staff in the wider use of digital technology.

The head of the review said “virtual” consultations with doctors could become more common than face-to-face appointments within a decade. Officials also want to see the majority of 111 calls handled by algorithms by 2020.

Senior figures have said the NHS needs to embrace modern innovations, learning from the way the world has taken to Uber and Airbnb, in order to save money and improve patient care.

But last year parts of the NHS ground to a halt when it was hit by the biggest cyber attack in history, forcing the cancellation of 20,000 appointments. Staff had to return to pens and paper.

The NHS also has a long history of IT failures, and the abandonment of a centralised programme. The breast cancer disclosures show that when automated systems fail, they can do so on an epic scale.