Schemes being trialled aim to cut hospital waiting lists and to offer residents and local firms training in AI skills.
Two ambitious tech-related pilots are being launched in Barnsley and, if successful, could be rolled out across the country.
Photo by Possessed Photography / Unsplash
In one, Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will begin deploying AI tools with the aim of cutting waiting lists, missed appointments and the administrative burden on staff. In the other pilot, hundreds of local residents and businesses will have the chance to gain practical skills in AI through government-funded training.
Both schemes are part of a wider initiative to explore the ways in which tech can support local workers and frontline services. As we reported last month, Barnsley is the UK’s first government-backed ‘Tech Town’. So what does these pilots involve?
The new ‘Healthcare Living Lab’ will be created by Cisco through its Lister Alliance collaboration. The intention is to use AI tools to reduce missed appointments, improve outpatient flow, support decision‑making and cut time spent on paperwork. Trialling these tools in a real hospital environment will generate evidence on what works for staff and patients. That can then help to shape similar approaches across the wider NHS.
Free digital skills training for healthcare staff will also be provided through the Cisco Networking Academy, focused on improving digital literacy in such areas as cybersecurity and AI basics.
Meanwhile, the new £800,000 AI Upskilling Challenge Fund is available to help local businesses in key industries such as manufacturing , and residents who may not typically have the confidence or resources to use AI. Organisations including innovative firms, SMEs, non-profits and community organisations will be invited to pitch for a share of the funding, based on how they would provide this training. Applications will open in May.
Liz Kendall MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, says: ‘When we named Barnsley the UK’s first Tech Town, we made a promise to the people there – that this wouldn’t just be a title, but a real commitment to making AI work for their lives and their community. Today we’re delivering on that promise by giving local businesses and workers the tools and confidence to embrace AI as well as deploying AI in Barnsley Hospital to help cut waiting lists and ensure NHS staff spend less time on paperwork and more time with patients.
‘Barnsley is showing the rest of the country how we can use tech to build a future that works for all.’
Cllr Sir Stephen Houghton CBE, Leader of Barnsley Council, adds: ‘This will be the first real example of Tech Town in action in Barnsley, supporting the healthcare and business sectors. We’ve already started to revolutionise healthcare with our Health on the High Street project, and the Living Lab will now take this a step further by reducing pressures on staff, giving them new skills and making it easier for them to provide the best possible care for patients.
‘The AI Upskilling Challenge Fund will play a crucial role in helping residents build future‑ready skills, adapt to technological change and remain competitive in an evolving labour market, while also allowing employers to future-proof their operations through the tailored support available, delivering on two of the key missions in our Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy.’
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