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Who is James Murray, the new health secretary replacing Wes Streeting? From a high-profile, media-friendly Secretary of State to a relatively unknown MP, the departure of Wes Streeting and arrival of James Murray has raised eyebrows in the health and political worlds. It is one of the biggest Cabinet jobs with the largest public service departmental budgets. There will be a steep learning curve with no time for preparation away from the front line. Murray says he's deeply honoured to be appointed to the brief and continue Wes Streeting's brilliant work on such a critical mission, but who is he, and what issues will he face in his in tray?

AI will listen in to doctors' appointments and automatically generate patient notes in a bid to improve productivity in the NHS. Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said the plans will cut the time medics spend on admin so they are free to see more patients. But privacy campaigners today described the move as'creepy', while patient groups warned people could come to harm as they will be too embarrassed to discuss medical issues freely while being recorded. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt yesterday announced a 3.4billion investment in NHS productivity through things such as expanding the use of AI, reducing paperwork for medics and improving access for patients. In a major keynote speech at the Nuffield Trust think tank's annual summit, Ms Atkins today said the'enormous amount of money' would be transformative.

Boris Johnson's most senior aide, Dominic Cummings, is facing conflict of interest accusations over a consultancy role he undertook for a government-endorsed healthcare startup that is in position to receive a share of a new £250m flagship public fund. Cummings advised Babylon Health, a controversial artificial intelligence (AI) firm working within the NHS, on its communications strategy and its senior recruitment, an investigation by the Guardian and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism can reveal. A GP app developed by the company was later backed publicly on multiple occasions by the health secretary, Matt Hancock. The former Vote Leave campaign director's formal role with Babylon concluded in July last year but he continued to advise the firm about recruitment until September 2018 – the same month Hancock visited the firm and told staff he wanted the NHS to help the company expand. In August this year, shortly after Boris Johnson entered No 10 with Cummings as his top adviser, Downing Street and the Department of Health announced a £250m fund to boost the use of AI in the NHS by using automated systems for diagnoses or data analysis.

A new national hub to develop artificial intelligence for challenges within healthcare will receive £250 million in Government funding. The National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Lab will bring together academics, specialists and technology companies to use technology to tackle issues such as early cancer detection, new dementia treatments and more personalised care. Tasks that will be undertaken by the AI Lab include improving cancer screening by speeding up the results of tests, including mammograms, brain scans, eye scans and heart monitoring. Predictive models will be used to predict future demand for beds, medicines, devices and surgeries. The technology will also enable the identification of which patients could be more easily treated in the community, reducing the pressure on the NHS.