An AI sandbox will safely test AI-enabled devices in real-world NHS settings so patients can gain faster access to new technology.
AI medical device manufacturers and London-based NHS providers have been invited to apply to evaluate devices in real-world NHS settings.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced the programme in partnership with NHS England’s London region and the London Health Innovation Networks.
The initiative will allow AI-enabled medical devices to be deployed safely while gathering further evidence of their benefits across NHS settings.
Organisers said this could help patients gain earlier access to new technologies while maintaining high safety standards.
Dame Caroline Clarke, director of NHS London, said: “Londoners deserve the best that modern medicine has to offer.
“This programme is about making sure the NHS in London can adopt the latest technologies quickly, safely and in a way that genuinely improves care for patients.
“We want London to lead the way in developing and scaling-up innovation, demonstrating its value in the real world for Londoners and making London even more attractive for the Life Science sector.”
The sandbox will bring regulators, healthcare providers and technology developers together in a controlled environment where devices can be deployed safely and securely.
It will support the NHS 10 Year Health Plan by helping technologies that could improve patient outcomes, widen access to care and reduce health inequalities reach the health service more quickly.
Up to 10 AI medical device manufacturers will be selected for the first phase.
They will work with NHS providers across London to deploy their technologies in live clinical settings under MHRA oversight.
The programme aims to generate robust real-world evidence on safety and effectiveness while creating a clearer and more predictable route towards wider adoption.
It will also support collaboration between NHS providers and developers, helping to match technologies with health service needs and enable rapid, evidence-led deployment.
Lawrence Tallon, chief executive of the MHRA, said: “This initiative demonstrates that regulation can be an enabler for innovation, not a barrier.
“We need to work faster to keep pace with developments in AI to ensure that patients can safely benefit from cutting-edge technologies as they become available.”
Dr Dominique Allwood MBE, chief executive of Imperial College Health Partners, added “As organisations whose purpose is to accelerate the adoption and spread of innovation, health innovation networks have a role not simply in identifying promising technologies but to help create the conditions in which they can be adopted safely, effectively and at scale.
“Our three London HINs – Imperial College Health Partners, UCLPartners, and HIN South London – are excited to be partnering to deliver this regulatory sandbox approach for London with colleagues at the MHRA and NHS England.”
