Exploring the future of AI in NHS system leadership

NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board is looking ahead at how artificial intelligence could support better decision making across health services.

In a recent article, Shaukat Ali Khan, executive chief digital and information officer at the board, shared a vision for using AI at a strategic level. The focus is not on replacing people, but on using technology to help leaders understand demand, plan services more effectively, and improve outcomes for communities.

As AI continues to develop across the NHS, conversations like this help shape how technology can be used safely, ethically, and in ways that place people and patient care first.

Read more: A future vision for AI in system leadership at NHS West Yorkshire ICB | UKAuthority

Healthcare partnership trials quit smoking app to support mental health

A new pilot programme in the North East and Yorkshire is offering patients at acute and mental health trusts access to a digital app designed to help people quit smoking.

Participants receive free access to the Smoke Free app, which provides tools, guidance and personalised encouragement to support people on their stop smoking journey. The pilot is being delivered through a collaboration involving Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria, Health Innovation Yorkshire and Humber, and NHS England for the region.

Smoking rates remain higher among people living with mental health conditions, and digital support tools like this may offer an accessible way to improve long term health and wellbeing.

Read more: Healthcare partnership trials use of quit smoking app | UKAuthority

Making Every Contact Count May 2025


The most recent Make Every Contact count public heath bulletin looking at latest evidence around smoking cessation, alcohol, healthy weight, healthy eating and physical exercise is now available. The bulletin is produced by Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS FT Library staff. If you cannot access any of the articles included in the bulletin please contact academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk.

Smoking Cessation

Alcohol

Healthy Weight & Healthy Eating

Physical Activity

Making Every Contact Count January 2025

The most recent Make Every Contact count public heath bulletin looking at latest evidence around smoking cessation, alcohol, healthy weight, healthy eating and physical exercise is now available. The bulletin is produced by Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS FT Library staff. If you cannot access any of the articles included in the bulletin please contact academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk.

Smoking Cessation

Alcohol

Healthy Weight

Healthy Eating

Physical Activity

BMJ Best Practice

Funded by Health Education England, free to all NHS staff and learners

BMJ Best Practice uses the latest evidence-based research, guidelines and expert opinion to offer step-by-step guidance on diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and prevention.

Click here and enter your OpenAthens username and password to sign in. If you are a new user, you will need to register for a BMJ Best Practice personal account.

You can use your personal account to download the free BMJ Best Practice app for access anywhere, anytime, even offline.

Tackling health inequalities: seven priorities for the NHS – The King’s Fund

Drawing on The King’s Fund’s five-year programme of work on health inequalities and tackling the worst health outcomes, which includes insights from stakeholders, partners and people with lived experience, this long read outlines what we think the anticipated 10-year health plan should focus on to help the NHS do more to tackle these challenges.

Tackling Health Inequalities | Seven Priorities For The NHS | The King’s Fund (kingsfund.org.uk)

Making Every Contact Count September 2024

The most recent Make Every Contact count public heath bulletin looking at latest evidence around smoking cessation, alcohol, healthy weight, healthy eating and physical exercise is now available. The bulletin is produced by Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS FT Library staff. If you cannot access any of the articles included in the bulletin please contact academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk.

Smoking Cessation

Alcohol

Healthy Weight

Healthy Eating

Physical Activity

Implementation Guidance

Psychological Therapies for Severe Mental Health Problems

Source: KnowledgeShare

Psychological therapies for severe mental health problems: implementation guidance 2024.
NHS England; 2024.

This guidance is for NHS-commissioned mental health provider organisations, integrated care boards (ICBs), regional NHS England offices, and chief psychological professions officers in mental health trusts. It aims to support mental health providers to deliver the NHS long term plan objective to increase access to psychological therapies for people with severe mental health problems, as part of a wider transformation of adult and older adult community mental health services.
Freely available online

Medical emergencies in eating disorders

Guidance on recognition and management

Source: The King’s Fund

This report finds that signs that someone with an eating disorder is dangerously ill are often missed by health care professionals due to lack of guidance and training. The research finds that hospital admissions for eating disorders have increased by 84 per cent in the past five years, reaching a total of 24,268 admissions. Children and young people with eating disorders are the worst affected, with a rise of 90 per cent in the five-year period. This guidance is aimed at frontline staff so that people with eating disorders needing urgent care can be identified and treated earlier.