Resources for the NHS
Practical AI and procurement guidance for NHS staff — covering patient data, clinical governance, and public sector procurement frameworks.
The NHS sits at the front line of AI adoption in UK healthcare. From administrative efficiency to clinical decision support, AI tools are being explored across trusts, integrated care boards (ICBs), integrated care systems (ICSs), and primary care networks. But the stakes are higher than in most workplaces: patient data is special category data under UK GDPR, and any AI use must align with NHS England's clinical safety standards (DCB0129/DCB0160), the Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC), and local clinical governance frameworks.
Public Skills Hub gives NHS staff plain-English guides on AI risk, GDPR, and AI assistant selection — alongside templates for vendor due diligence, risk assessments, and AI tool approval logs. For procurement, we cover the Procurement Act 2023, Cyber Essentials requirements, and frameworks like G-Cloud.
If your trust is starting its AI journey, begin with our AI Readiness Checker. If you are evaluating a specific tool, use the AI Vendor Due Diligence Questionnaire alongside the DTAC. If you are involved in procurement, our Procurement Route Explainer will help you identify the right buying route under the new legislation.
Start here
- 1
Read the AI risks guide
Understand what risks AI tools introduce in healthcare settings, especially around patient data.
Read the guide - 2
Check your team's AI readiness
Use the AI Readiness Checker to identify gaps in awareness, governance, and policy.
Run the checker - 3
Set up vendor due diligence
Use our questionnaire to evaluate AI vendors before procurement, covering data residency and clinical safety.
Get the template
Guides for NHS
What Is Workplace AI?
A plain-English introduction to artificial intelligence tools in the workplace — what they do, how they work, and why organisations across the UK are starting to use them.
AI and UK GDPR: Practical Guidance
Practical guidance for entering workplace data into AI tools under UK GDPR. What you can and cannot do, how to assess risk, and how to document your approach.
AI Risks Every Office Team Should Understand
A practical guide to the real risks of using AI tools at work — covering data privacy, inaccuracy, bias, and compliance — with guidance on how UK organisations can manage them sensibly.
Choosing an AI Assistant for UK Workplaces
A neutral comparison of Copilot, ChatGPT Enterprise, Gemini, and Claude for Work — compared on UK data residency, GDPR posture, price, and typical approval path.
Cyber Essentials for Bidders
What Cyber Essentials is, when it's mandatory for UK public sector bids, how to get certified, and typical timelines and costs.
Procurement Act 2023: What Changed
What the Procurement Act 2023 changed versus the old Public Contracts Regulations 2015, for both buyers and suppliers. Covers the Central Digital Platform, Competitive Flexible Procedure, new exclusion grounds, and Contract Performance Notices.
Microsoft Copilot: Setup and Governance for UK Workplaces
How Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 actually works, how to set it up safely in a UK organisation, and what governance it needs — covering licensing, data flows, and user training.
EU AI Act: What UK Organisations Need to Know
What the EU AI Act means for UK organisations that operate in the EU or supply EU customers. Updated for the 2 August 2026 high-risk system milestone.
AI in HR and Recruitment
How HR teams are using AI for recruitment, performance management, and L&D — what works, where the legal and ethical risks sit, and what UK organisations need in place before rolling it out.
Templates for NHS
AI Vendor Due Diligence Questionnaire
A structured set of questions to ask an AI vendor before procurement. Covers data handling, security, accuracy, bias, compliance, and support.
AI Risk Assessment Starter Sheet
A structured risk assessment template for evaluating the risks of introducing a new AI tool or AI-assisted process. Covers data, accuracy, bias, security, and operational risks.
Basic Workplace AI Policy
A straightforward AI policy template suitable for small to medium organisations adopting AI tools for the first time. Covers acceptable use, data handling, and staff responsibilities.
AI Tool Approval Log
A running log template for tracking all AI tools that have been submitted for approval, reviewed, approved, or declined. Maintains a clear audit trail for governance purposes.
AI Incident Log
A log template for recording AI-related data incidents, quality issues, or near-misses. Helps organisations track and learn from AI errors systematically.
Tools for NHS
AI Readiness Checker
Answer a short set of questions about your team's current AI awareness, tool usage, and governance to get a personalised readiness score. Use the results to identify your biggest gaps and get a prioritised action plan.
AI Policy Generator
Answer a few questions about your organisation type, size, and AI use cases to generate a ready-to-use AI acceptable use policy draft. The output can be downloaded and edited to fit your specific needs.
Procurement Route Explainer
Enter your estimated contract value and type to get a plain-English explanation of which procurement route applies and what that means in practice. Understand the rules for direct award, competitive quotes, and formal tender processes without needing to read the regulations yourself.
Bid Compliance Checklist Tool
Run through the key compliance requirements for a public sector bid before you submit, checking that your response covers mandatory criteria, word limits, and required documents. Avoid disqualification by catching common errors before the deadline.