COVER STORY
HOPE, HYPE OR HARM?
Artificial intelligence is already here and how we use it matters. Katie Thorn, Project Lead for the Digital Care Hub, explores what AI could mean for the care sector.
At Digital Care Hub, we’re spending time with care providers, researchers, and people drawing on care to understand what artificial intelligence (AI) means for adult social care. Through our work with Oxford University’s Institute for Ethics in AI and Casson Consulting, we’ve seen growing excitement – and growing concerns.
AI is no longer a future concept. It’s already helping with pain assessment, reducing falls, and saving staff time on paperwork. The potential benefits are huge – but so are the risks if we don’t take the right approach.
That’s why we’re asking better questions. Not just 'What can AI do?' but 'What kind of care do we want – and how can AI support that?'
REAL-LIFE USES: HELPFUL, BUT NOT WITHOUT CHALLENGES
We’re seeing impressive uses of AI in care. At one home, smart lamps prevent nighttime falls and alert staff if something goes wrong – cutting incidents by more than 80%. At another, facial recognition helps detect pain in residents who can’t easily express themselves. And across more services, AI tools are speeding up care planning and auditing, giving staff more time with the people they support.
But these tools don’t work without human insight. They support good care – they don’t define it. And they raise important questions about consent, safety, and control.
WHAT ARE CARE WORKERS SAYING?
We’ve been speaking with frontline staff, and their message is consistent: AI has potential, but it must be on their terms.
The Care Workers’ Charity put it clearly in their recent Statement of Expectations:
“We do think that AI will be able to help… But we have clear expectations towards our employers, regulators and policy makers to ensure that the responsibility around the use of AI is a shared one.”
Staff want AI to enhance – not override – their judgement. They want boundaries, training, and reassurance that they won’t be held responsible for decisions they didn’t make. Most of all, they want to help shape how these tools are used.
WHAT DO PEOPLE THINK? CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM
According to the Health Foundation’s 2024 survey, most people aren’t against AI in healthcare – but they want to know it’s being used carefully.
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• 54% of the public support AI for diagnosis or treatment advice; 61% support it for admin tasks like sending letters or managing rotas.
• Among NHS staff, 76% support clinical use, and 81% support administrative uses.
• But 53% of the public and 65% of NHS staff worry AI could reduce meaningful contact.
The two most cited public concerns were: that staff might not question incorrect AI decisions (30%) and that AI might not be accurate enough (28%).
People aren’t saying no to AI. They’re saying: use it thoughtfully, keep me informed, and ensure people stay in control.
WHAT DO PEOPLE WHO DRAW ON CARE WANT?
We’ve learned a lot from partners like Think Local, Act Personal (TLAP) who work directly with people who draw on care.
In Principles and priorities for the responsible use of Generative AI in care and support, TLAP stresses that AI should only be used with clear consent, and people must know when they’re interacting with AI. It should augment – not replace – human input and must never substitute meaningful human connection.
People also need accessible information about the tools being used: what data is captured, how it’s shared, and where it’s stored.
This isn’t just about functionality – it’s about values. People want transparency, involvement, and tools that reflect who
www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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