Attitudes to technology and AI in health care: Health Foundation survey findings

The Health Foundation will present the findings from their landmark 2025 survey exploring public and NHS staff attitudes to technology and AI in health care. Based on responses from 8,000 members of the UK public and 2,000 NHS staff, this research offers the most comprehensive picture to date of how patients, citizens and the health workforce view the growing role of digital tools and artificial intelligence in the NHS, and where caution remains.

With the 10-Year Health Plan committing to expanded use of the NHS App, ambient voice technology and a single patient record, understanding where public and staff confidence sits is essential for industry partners working to develop, deploy and scale health technologies. This briefing is an opportunity to hear directly from the research team and explore what the findings mean for the sector.

What the session will cover

The Health Foundation's researchers will present the report's key findings, including:

• How public and staff sentiment towards technology and AI in health care is evolving, and where a rise in negative views is emerging.

• Levels of public support for proposed new NHS App functions, including AI-generated advice for non-urgent care.

• Why support for AI is significantly stronger for administrative uses than for clinical decision-making.

• The public's clear preference for human oversight, robust evidence and strong regulation over speed and economic development.

• Persistent demographic differences in attitudes; with women, younger adults and those on lower incomes consistently less positive.

• The gap between rising awareness of health technology and more slowly shifting underlying preferences about its use.

The presentation will be followed by a moderated Q&A, giving attendees the opportunity to put questions to the research team.

Speakers

• Ahmed Binesmael, Senior Improvement Analyst, Health Foundation

• Alex Lawrence, Improvement Fellow, Health Foundation

Who should attend

This briefing is relevant to health technology suppliers, digital health companies, AI developers, NHS integrated care system leaders, policymakers and anyone working at the intersection of technology, data and health care delivery. It will be of particular interest to organisations engaging with NHS procurement, regulatory reform and patient facing digital services.