Back in September 2017, NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens told the NHS Health and Care Innovation Expo that major artificial intelligence (AI) innovations were in the pipeline in the NHS. He said that AI and machine learning is being, and will be, used in areas such as dermatology and pathology to improve clinical care. Efficiencies have never been more necessary. However, according to some, the sector has been slow to catch up with AI's benefits. Dr Panos Constantinides, associate professor of information systems at Warwick Business School and a digital technology researcher, says: "Unlike in other sectors, where companies such as Amazon and Google have been able to use AI in combination with data on online user behaviour to make recommendations on future user choices, the highly regulated healthcare industry does not grant easy access to patient data. Maintaining the security and confidentiality of patient data is a key priority in most countries."

Do you need a chat with a Data Doctor? The Data landscape is vast and ever changing, it can also be a place where we are bombarded with buzzwords, new trends and an onslaught of tools and services. Your body needs a check-up every now and then, so does your data journey need a check-up too? The Data Lab are running drop-in sessions with industry experts, "Doctors", who offer practical, executable advice to attendees covering 3 of the current big themes in data. Each Doctor has nine 12-minute slots available during the day, so request your 1-2-1 slot quickly before they are fully booked out.