SIG Workplan and Workstreams
SIG workstreams
- Accelerate the application of safe, responsible, and ethical AI and digital solutions to public health problems.
This worksteam aims to support the safe, effective, and equitable adoption of digital technologies and AI in population health practice.
We will build understanding, capacity, and collaboration across public health disciplines by 1) creating a network for people and programmes to share knowledge and best practice and 2) briefing members on novel technologies, their transferability to population health practice, and the opportunities and challenges these pose for improving health and reducing inequalities
- Advocate for public health principles in the advancement of AI and frontier technologies.
This workstream aims to provide the public health voice and leadership in the development and regulation of safe, ethical, and responsible AI and digital tools. This includes identifying, preventing, and mitigating the potential harms associated with the use of digital tools, including the potential to exacerbate health inequalities.
We will achieve this by 1) supporting partnerships and engagement between the Faculty and providers, regulators, government, industry, and the public and 2) influencing policy and regulation for using AI and digital tools responsibly in healthcare through consultation, research, and advocacy.
- Support digital and AI literacy across the public health workforce
This workstream aims to upskill the public health workforce on digital and AI-specific considerations for core public health competencies through CPD events, resources, and curricula review. It also aims to develop the next generation of public health technologists by supporting specialist placements and pathways.
Workplan
Activity: Create a network for people and programmes to share knowledge and best practice.
Outcome: An active community of SIG members on a platform that enables idea and resource sharing.
Target date: 2024-2026
Named lead: Alisha/Sam/Elliot
Progress to date: In progress
Outputs:
- Comms channel, sharing capability
- People and programmes directory.
Activity: Launch SIG and engage members to establish priorities and determine workstreams
Outcome: Defined workstreams/subgroups that will generate outputs
Target date: May 2024
Named lead: Alisha/Sam/Elliot
Progress to date: Completed
Outputs: Terms of Reference, minutes and details here
Activity: Host an AI UK Fringe event
Outcome: Showcase the potential application of AI across the domains of public health, and reflect on the challenges. Lead a national conversation on potential challenges and risks of the use of AI in public health. Promote visibility of the SIG.
Target date: March 2024
Named lead: Alisha/Sam/Elliot
Progress to date: Completed
Outputs: Recording on YouTube
Activity: Form a Turing Clinical AI supra group for AI and Digital Public Health.
Outcome: FPH is represented among the AI&DiPH supra group organisers to strengthening partnership working between FPH and Turing AI groups.
Target date: 2024/25
Named lead: Alisha/Sam/Elliot
Progress to date: Launched. Activities to be arranged.
Outputs: Clinical AI Public Health Supra Group. See here.
Activity: 1 Influence: Responsive to consultations and other requests for expert public health input into AI and digital innovation on behalf of the FPH.
Outcome: Expert public health input into the development and deployment of safe, responsible, and ethical AI and digital solutions.
Target date: 2024-2026
Named lead:
- Lead: SIG Chairs
- Contribution: SIG Members
Progress to date: Ongoing
Outputs:
- Consultation responses.
- Mtgs invited to influence
Activity: Briefing FPH members on:
- evidence of novel technologies, the opportunities, challenges and transferability to population health practice
- frameworks for safe, responsible, ethical development and application of AI and digital solutions relevant to public health.
Outcome:
- Topics to be prioritised by SIG members annually to inform annual workplan
- keeping members up to date on the AI and digital health innovation to improve population health.
- keeping members up to date on AI regulation relevant to public health
- Sharing frameworks to assess if safe, responsible and ethical principles are met for PH.
Target date: 2024-2026
Named lead:
- LEAD: TBC
- Contribution: SIG members
Progress to date: Ongoing
Outputs: Briefing to members (min 2 per year)
Activity: 2024/25 Evidence Briefing: Review on specific AI and public health practice: benefits and potential harms
Outcome: Providing overview and summary of AI and application across public health.
Target date: 2024/25
Named lead:
- Lead: Alisha/Sam/Elliot
- Contribution: SIG members
Progress to date: Not started
Outputs: Publication in 2024/25
Activity: 2024/25 Framework: TBC from long list
Outcome:
Target date: 2025/26
Named lead:
- Lead: TBC
- Contribution: SIG members
Progress to date: Not started
Outputs: Publication in 2024/25
Activity: Influence: Responsive to consultations and other requests for expert public health input into AI and digital innovation on behalf of the FPH.
Outcome: Expert public health input into the development and deployment of safe, responsible, and ethical AI and digital solutions
Target date: 2024-2026
Named lead:
- SIG Chairs
- SIG Members
Progress to date: Ongoing
Outputs:
- Consultation responses
- Mtgs invited to influence
Activity: Define FPH public health principles in the advancement of AI and frontier technologies drawing on existing frameworks (could include data, governance, medica-legal)
Outcome: Provides common principles to guide FPH members to engage with AI innovation
Target date: 2024/25
Named lead: TBC, SIG Members
Progress to date: Not started
Outputs: Published framework
Activity: National survey with DPH/FPH members to capture knowledge, understanding and concerns of the direct and indirect impact of AI on public health and societal harms.
Outcome: Evidence to support advocacy work.
Target date: 2024/25
Named lead: TBC
Progress to date: TBC
Outputs:
- Survey
- Report
Activity: Stakeholder mapping (policy, academic, thinktanks etc) and formal engagement to influence work to ensure societal harms of AI to public health are understood and addressed.
Outcome:
- Providing public health expertise to AI and digital health.
- Building networks of FPH influence.
Target date: 2024/25
Named lead: TBC
Progress to date: Not started
Outputs:
- Stakeholder map
- Internal briefing on societal harms
- Workshop/meeting
Activity: Signposting members to communities of practice and development opportunities.
Outcome: Increase awareness of opportunities from introductory through to specialist training in AI for FPH members.
Target date: 2024-2026
Named lead: TBC
Progress to date: Not started
Outputs:
- Shared via comms channel
- Training directory.
Activity: Collaboration with Turing Clinical AI group on health and care professional AI curriculum review.
Outcome: Agreement of core competencies for AI across NHS health and care professionals.
Target date: 2024/25
Named lead: Alisha/Sam/Elliot
Progress to date: Underway. Turing Clinical AI mtg Oct 2024
Outputs: NHS Curriculum Standards
