8.1 Dr Jessica Morley. Will Artificial Intelligence save the NHS?

Can AI really live up to the hype in healthcare? What safeguards are needed — and where do humans still matter most?
Dr Jessica Morley is a leading expert in digital health ethics, data governance, and artificial intelligence policy. Currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at Yale University’s Digital Ethics Center, she previously served as Director of Policy at the Bennett Institute for Applied Data Science at the University of Oxford. Jess has also worked at the heart of digital transformation in the NHS, advising government departments on the safe, effective, and ethical implementation of AI technologies.
With a background that spans philosophy, health informatics, and public policy, her work focuses on ensuring that AI in healthcare serves the public good—preserving trust, promoting equity, and reinforcing system-level values. She is widely published on ethical frameworks for AI and is a passionate advocate for more accountable and transparent digital health systems. An ideal person to discuss the potential and the pitfalls of AI in the NHS.
Can AI really live up to the hype in healthcare? What safeguards are needed — and where do humans still matter most?
In this fascinating and enlightening discussion, we explore the promises and pitfalls of artificial intelligence in healthcare with one of the world’s leading thinkers on the topic.
We continue the theme with our micro-discussion, when we look at the paper Perspectives of Health Care Professionals on the Use of AI to Support Clinical Decision-Making in the Management of Multiple Long-Term Conditions https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40613609/. This paper aims to explore the perspectives of primary care Healthcare Professionals on managing Long Term Conditions supported by AI.
Links mentioned in the episode:The Briefing Room: How far could artificial intelligence transform medicines? https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0021bdl
Can a digital NHS BE equitable - The BMJ: https://www.bmj.com/content/389/bmj.r1317
As with all of our guests, Jess shares with us her Memory Evoking Medicine, a career anthem and book that has influenced her career or life. An apt and personal choice when discussing the dehumanising world of AI.
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From Prescription to Ocean — A TEDx Talk by Jamie HayesWe’re incredibly proud to share that Aural Apothecary co-host Jamie Hayes has taken to the TEDx stage with a thought-provoking talk: Prescription to Ocean: The Hidden Impact of Medicineshttps://lnkd.in/eRwqhRuv
Jamie explores a fascinating and urgent question: What happens to our medicines once they leave the prescription pad — and how do they impact the world beyond the patient? It’s a journey that connects healthcare, the environment, and our shared responsibility for the future. You’ll never think about prescribing (or taking) medicines in quite the same way again.Please take a few minutes to watch, reflect, and share — this is a conversation worth having.