The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today 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 was also published today.

The purpose of this draft guidance is to build awareness and good practice among services and staff around the responsible and safe use of artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure safer, better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. 

The development of this draft guidance comes at a time when the health and social care system in Ireland is facing rising costs, increased demand due to an ageing population, increased prevalence of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. 

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. 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, 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Commenting on the draft guidance, HIQA’s Director of Health Information and Standards, Rachel Flynn, said: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.”

Rachel 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 Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Health Information and Quality Authority (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. Provide your feedback here.

Further information:

Caoimhe O’Connell, Communications Manager
caoconnell@hiqa.ie, 087 639 5916

Notes for Editor: 

• National guidance supports the implementation of national standards developed by HIQA. National standards promote practice that is up to date, evidence based, effective and consistent and meets the needs of people using health and social care services. National guidance and tools support people working in a health or social care service to implement the standards into practice.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) is “a machine-based system capable of operating autonomously and producing outputs like predictions, recommendations, or decisions based on input data.”
• The guidance is intended for use by all services and organisations that provide health and social care in Ireland.  
• Health and social care is a safety-critical area and any new technology must be deemed safe and trustworthy before use. AI has the potential to enhance health and social care, however, there are potential risks, therefore, it is important that human oversight is maintained.
• It is essential that the data underpinning AI is of high quality, is broadly representative of the population and is updated during the lifecycle of an AI tool, to produce accurate results. A standardised approach is required to ensure that data is collected and recorded in a consistent way, every time.
• The use of AI tools must be guided by appropriate safeguards and be in compliance with legal obligations, including those set out in the EU AI Act, to ensure that it is used in a safe and responsible way. The safeguards, checks and balances that need to be in place will vary depending on the type of AI tool and how it is being used.
• The draft guidance is informed by an evidence review which is also being published today (available here). The evidence review, alongside input from a steering group and co-production working group and focus groups and individual interviews with relevant stakeholders informed the draft guidance.
• The draft guidance has now been published, and HIQA is inviting feedback on the draft National Guidance from staff working in health and social care, people using these services, their families, carers, and all stakeholders in the health and social care sector.  
• HIQA is seeking feedback on the draft National Guidance through an online questionnaire available here, or completion of the consultation feedback form available here. Consultation forms can be returned to HIST@hiqa.ie.  
• The deadline for submissions is 5pm on 5 March, 2026.
• Following the public consultation, feedback will be collated and used to help inform the revision of the draft guidance which will then be finalised and submitted to the Department of Health.
• As an independent statutory body established to promote safety and quality in the provision of health and social care services, HIQA is responsible for developing national standards, recommendations and guidance to support the Irish digital health and health information landscape to ensure safer, better care for people using health and social care services. 

About HIQA

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is the independent body that promotes safety and quality in the provision of health and social care services in Ireland. 

Through its regulation, standard setting and evidence to inform decision-making functions, HIQA supports health and social care services to consistently deliver excellent standards of care and the best possible health and social care outcomes for all.