The Government has published its response to the National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare, accepting all 44 recommendations and setting out a coordinated UK-wide approach to implementation. Professor Cathie Sudlow, Director of the Usher Institute, was one of the national commissioners who contributed to the work of the National Commission on the Regulation of AI in Healthcare and the development of its recommendations.The Government Response sets out the next steps towards a more proportionate and lifecycle-based regulatory approach – supporting innovation and helping patients benefit from safe and effective AI technologies while maintaining robust safeguards and public trust. A new UK-wide, cross-system Programme Board will oversee delivery.Work is already under way across government, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), NHS partners and the devolved authorities, with a full implementation roadmap due by spring 2027.The response also includes commitments to strengthen patient involvement and transparency, improve access to redress, support equitable access to AI technologies and explore new approaches to generating real-world evidence.Alongside the response, the MHRA has opened applications for AI Airlock Phase 3, its regulatory sandbox for AI-enabled medical devices. The programme will focus on post-market surveillance and lifecycle regulation, exploring how AI technologies can be monitored and managed safely throughout their working life.Eligible developers of AI-enabled medical devices can apply now at Airlock Phase 3 application. A webinar for prospective applicants will take place on 22 October 2026, 10:00, with full details available on the same page. The first wave of innovators will be selected in November 2026.Further informationRead the Government ResponseFind out more about Airlock Phase 3 application This article was published on Wednesday 7 October 2026
