The Clinical Safety section saw the greatest average increase in achievement in this assessment round, likely reflecting clinical safety as an active priority given its critical importance to effective digital transformation.
The 2025 update shows a rapid pace of change, with positive progress visible across every measured indicator when compared to the 2024 baseline.
Most notably, the use of digital solutions to support the effective improvement of clinical safety outcomes and processes is now the highest scoring indicator in the section, exceeding 80 out of 100.
Indicators measuring defined leadership and the implementation of effective clinical governance frameworks — crucially including frameworks designed to ensure the safety of projects that introduce Artificial Intelligence — have also demonstrated strong upward momentum, scoring securely in the 70s.
While the trajectory is generally positive, the assessment highlights specific areas where continued development is necessary. The use of digital solutions to support the safe identification of patients, service users, healthcare professionals, and clinical devices remains the lowest scoring indicator, sitting at approximately 60 out of 100 — though this still represents a substantial improvement from its 2024 baseline of under 50. Ensuring and continuously improving the clinical safety of digital decision support solutions remains a secondary priority for ongoing maturation.
The questions this raises for organisational leadership are equally important: why is digital identification of patients, users, and devices lagging behind other areas, and how can Artificial Intelligence be used to support improvements in Clinical Safety while robust governance frameworks protect against the risks of AI-supported tools?
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