Doctors and NHS trusts can be held liable for patient harm caused by artificial intelligence tools, even when the AI made the mistake. The Medical Protection Society is urging ministers to overhaul the law to protect medical professionals.
Current legislation holds physicians responsible for errors in diagnosis and treatment—regardless of whether an AI system made the critical decision. Under existing negligence law, patients can sue doctors and the health service if they suffer harm or death from AI-driven mistakes.
The Medical Protection Society has warned the government that this legal framework creates liability exposure for clinicians using AI tools without clear safeguards or guidelines. The organization is calling for legislative reform to clarify responsibility between doctors, hospitals, AI developers, and manufacturers.
The issue becomes increasingly urgent as NHS adoption of AI diagnostic and treatment-recommendation systems accelerates. Questions remain about how to balance innovation in healthcare technology with legal protection for medical professionals who rely on these tools in good faith.
The warning comes as regulators worldwide grapple with AI governance in medicine. Clearer liability rules could either encourage or hinder AI adoption in the NHS depending on how reforms are structured.
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