In this blog Shilpi Shobowale, Senior Project Manager in the Digital Transformation & Technology team at the Health Innovation Network South London, reflects on her time working on a project examining the impact of AI on the NHS workforce and insights shared at NHS ConfedExpo 2026. In particular she notes how meaningful, system-wide change isn’t something organisations can navigate alone, it depends on strong partnerships, shared learning and a collective willingness to rethink how we support the workforce through change.
After spending the last few months working closely on a project exploring the impact of AI on the NHS workforce, I have found myself reflecting on two things.
The first is how much more complex conversations around AI have become when you move beyond the headlines. The second, and perhaps the biggest lesson for me personally, has been recognising just how powerful partnership working can be when trying to tackle challenges that affect the health system at scale. Both of these reflections were reinforced during a recent panel discussion at NHS ConfedExpo 2026, where we had the opportunity to discuss some of the project’s wider findings.
What stayed with me from this project
One of the strongest themes to emerge from this work was that the workforce implications of AI extend far beyond questions of automation. Across our engagement with NHS staff, there was a growing recognition that introducing AI is not simply about implementing new tools, but about ensuring staff feel prepared, supported and confident in how these technologies begin to shape day-to-day working practices.
A particularly important reflection for me was recognising that while AI may automate parts of a task, the work itself rarely disappears completely. Instead, responsibilities often shift, with greater emphasis placed on oversight, validation, accountability and decision-making. For me, this reinforced that AI implementation is not simply a digital transformation conversation, but fundamentally a workforce conversation too.
What the wider conversation reinforced
While our report captured many of these themes, the panel discussion at NHS ConfedExpo 2026 brought an additional perspective that stayed with me. There was a clear recognition that AI adoption is already happening rapidly across organisations, often driven by immediate operational pressures, while workforce planning, training and organisational readiness are still trying to catch up.
It was a reminder that the challenge ahead is not deciding whether AI becomes part of healthcare delivery, but ensuring organisations are prepared to support their workforce through that transition responsibly.
Why partnership working made this project stronger
Alongside the project findings, one of my biggest takeaways has been seeing firsthand the value of collaboration when trying to understand challenges that exist across an entire health system.
This work brought together Health Innovation Network South London, UCLPartners and Imperial College Health Partners, collectively covering the full London NHS landscape. Working across all three London health innovation networks meant each organisation brought different expertise, perspectives and networks that genuinely strengthened the work itself.
It challenged our thinking, created richer conversations and ultimately led to findings that feel far more representative of the realities organisations are navigating today.
Reflecting on this experience, I have come away feeling that the way we delivered this project reflects one of its biggest lessons. Just as organisations cannot approach AI adoption in silos, meaningful transformation across the NHS cannot happen in isolation either.
As I move into future work in this space, I think I will be paying even closer attention not just to how quickly technology evolves, but to whether organisations are investing equally in the people, partnerships and system-wide thinking needed to make that transformation meaningful and sustainable.