HIQA has launched a six-week public consultation, seeking feedback from the public on its Draft National Guidance for the Responsible and Safe use of Artificial Intelligence in Health and Social Care Services. This guidance was commissioned by the Department of Health and is informed by an evidence review conducted by HIQA which has also been published.
The purpose of this draft guidance is to build awareness and good practice among services and staff around the responsible and safe use of artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure safer, better care for people using health and social care services. It is underpinned by four principles: accountability, a human rights-based approach, safety and wellbeing, and responsiveness, and aims to educate and empower people using services on what to expect when AI tools are used in their care.
According to HIQA, the development of this draft guidance comes at a time when the health and social care system in Ireland is facing rising costs, increased demand due to an ageing population, increased prevalence of chronic and complex conditions and a shortage of healthcare staff to meet demand.
The Authority acknowledges AI has already begun to be used across health and social care in Ireland, with its role expected to grow significantly. Uses which can positively impact on the delivery of care include streamlining administrative tasks, supporting diagnostics and predicting medical outcomes to enable preventative measures, according to HIQA.
These might include helping clinicians to detect illness earlier, flagging patterns in scans and lab results more accurately, or supporting with note taking to enable clinicians to focus directly on the patient during consultations. Although AI has the potential to enhance health and social care, the Authority stated there are potential risks, therefore, it is important that human oversight is maintained.
Commenting on the draft guidance, HIQA’s Director of Health Information and Standards, Ms Rachel Flynn, said: “The draft national guidance for the responsible and safe use of AI in health and social care services has been developed against the backdrop of a dynamic and evolving AI landscape. Innovative solutions are needed to meet the challenges in our health and social care system, and AI is a promising tool that can be integrated to help address some of these challenges. As the role of AI in health and social care service delivery continues to grow, the development of national guidance for the responsible and safe use of AI in a health and social care context is timely, and will also support the implementation of national standards in this area.”
Ms Flynn continued: “This draft national guidance aims to empower staff and services to realise the positive impact of AI on service delivery, helping to prepare the sector for the significant changes that are coming in this area. It includes practical information relating to topics like governance, transparency and public engagement, while guiding through the appropriate safeguards and legal obligations, helping to address potential risks. The draft guidance has been developed with and for people using and delivering services, and we would encourage all interested parties to please provide their feedback by participating in our public consultation.”
In Ireland, the Department of Health, the HSE and the Health Information and HIQA are jointly preparing the health and social care sector for upcoming AI-related policy and legislation. This involves coordinated, interlinked programmes of work that enable a system-wide approach to responsible and safe use of AI in health and social care, as the legal and regulatory context guiding AI use in this context continues to evolve.
AI use in health and social care services will also be guided by the EU AI Act 2024, which outlines legislative responsibilities when using AI across all sectors. Other relevant legislation at the EU level that will guide AI use in health and social care services in Ireland include Medical Device Regulations and General Data Protection Regulation.
HIQA’s public consultation on the draft national guidance for the responsible and safe use of AI in health and social care is now open until 5 March 2026. All feedback will be carefully considered and used to inform the National Guidance for the Responsible and Safe Use of AI in Health and Social Care which will be published later this year.
Feedback can be provided here.
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