GOsC joins regulators in commitment to safe, effective and ethical use of AI

The General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) has signed a joint statement of intent with other professional regulators and Accredited Registers, setting out a shared commitment to support the safe, effective and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by health and social care professionals.

The statement welcomes the recommendations of the National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare and promises, as a first step, the development of a set of high-level principles to guide how use of AI by health and care professionals across the UK is regulated. These principles will build on engagement with professionals, patients and the public.

The statement recognises that AI is beginning to transform how health and social care services are delivered across the UK. Used appropriately, AI has the potential to improve outcomes for patients and service users, support professionals to provide high quality care, and help health and care systems work more efficiently and effectively.

As regulators, we have an important role in maintaining public confidence and upholding the standards that protect patients, service users and the public. The statement also recognises that patients and the public must be able to trust that AI is being used in a way that is safe, responsible and fair.

Matthew Redford, Chief Executive and Registrar of the GOsC, said: ‘We recognise that AI presents significant opportunities for healthcare professionals and their patients, and its use is becoming increasingly widespread across the healthcare sector. We welcome the opportunity to work with other regulators to develop shared principles that support innovation while promoting safe, high quality and ethical practice.

‘The General Osteopathic Council has already taken steps to support the responsible use of AI, including publishing interim guidance for osteopaths and working with education providers to implement the shared principles on use of AI in education that we published jointly with other regulators.

‘We look forward to building on these foundations and collaborating with others to create a consistent approach that supports professionals to use AI responsibly, and in ways that help to maintain public confidence and deliver benefits for patients.’

The statement marks the beginning of formal collaboration between professional healthcare regulators, aiming to support responsible innovation while giving professionals greater clarity about regulatory expectations, including the importance of informing patients, service users and the public about the use of AI in their care.

Read the full joint statement of intent on Artificial Intelligence

Read our interim guidance for osteopaths on Artificial Intelligence

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