Future-Proofing Care

Policy and Skills for Assistive Robotic Healthcare Technologies 

Project Overview

With increasing advances in robotics and AI, the potential of Intelligent Assistive Robotic Healthcare Technologies (IARHT) to support independent living, improve access to care quality and relieve workforce pressure is evident.

IARHT have the capability to adapt to patients’ changing clinical needs and lived experiences. From exoskeletons that can help people with paralysis walk again, to situationally aware robot arms that allow people with limited fine motor control to eat a meal themselves, intelligent assistive robotics can help people lead healthier, more independent and fulfilling lives. However, many innovations remain in laboratories because policy, skills development and regulatory ecosystems are not keeping pace with technological advances. 

To ensure adoption of these technologies, care professionals and regulatory bodies need assurance of system safety, in particular, trust in the autonomous system that learnt behaviours will remain clinically efficacious. This is hard to prove and realise without testing with a diverse range of people, over an extended duration, and in different use-contexts. At present, obtaining funding for real-world testing of assistive and rehabilitaiton robotics in the UK is extremely challenging, with lack of consistency between NHS aims and aspirations, and the resources being allocated to realise the vision. 

As such, there is an urgent need to generate the evidence and insight that moves policymakers to action. 

Research is imperative to identify gaps in existing policies, care standards and procurement pathways at the institutional level and crucially, to identify the tensions arising from introducing these technologies at scale, to inform policy and workforce capability building to facilitate adoption. 

Building on EMERGENCE EPSRC Healthcare Technologies Network+ Programme’s findings and roadmap, the Future-Proofing Care project at University of Nottingham led by Professor Caleb-Solly, has been focussing on policy engagement and participatory research to understand how to accelerate real-world adoption of IARHTs in the UK.

The Future-Proofing Care project team has partnered with the cross-party think tank Policy Connect to investigate the barriers to the adoption of intelligent assistive robotics and understand how they can be eased through a series of workshops with experts from different disciplines.

Project Team

Project Themes

Theme 1: System, Organisation and Infrastructure

1. What has to change in service models, infrastructure, procurement, funding and governance?

2. What steps should the Government take to reform funding, procurement and commissioning frameworks to enable the sustainable adoption of assistive robotic technologies across health and social care systems? 

Theme 2: Workforce and skills

1. What roles, training, accreditation, career pathways and funding models are needed?

2. What strategic initiatives should the Government take to develop a national workforce strategy to support assistive robotic technologies adoption, enhancing capability, accreditation, and the evolution of professional roles? 

Theme 3: Adoption and usability

1. How should adoption be tracked, evaluated and made equitable across NHS, community and social care settings?

2. What action should the Government take to address barriers preventing assistive robotic technologies from moving beyond pilot projects into sustained, system‑wide adoption across the NHS and social care?

3. How can the Government ensure that assistive robotic technologies are deployed with robust governance frameworks and are evaluated in terms of patient independence, dignity, and quality of care alongside efficiency? 

All-Party  Parliamentary Group for Assistive and Accessible Technology Roundtable

Easing the Adoption of Intelligent Assistive Robotics

Tuesday 23 June 2026, Parliament, Westminster

The session, chaired by Steff Aquarone MP, brings together health and social care professionals, technology innovators, academics, policymakers, and people with lived experience.

Policy Asks

1. Consider reforms to funding, procurement and commissioning frameworks to enable the sustainable adoption of assistive robotic technologies across health and social care systems.

2. Develop a national workforce strategy to support assistive robotic technologies adoption, including capability and capacity building, accreditation, and the evolution of professional roles.

3. Operationalise an action plan to address barriers preventing assistive robotic technologies from moving beyond pilot projects into sustained, system‑wide adoption across the NHS and social care.

4. Develop new standards and regulations to ensure that assistive robotic technologies are deployed with robust governance frameworks and are evaluated in terms of patient independence, dignity and access to care alongside efficiency and costs.

EMERGENCE Project Body of Knowledge

https://www.emergencerobotics.net/body-of-knowledge 

Further Resources

Govt UK - 2023 AI Regulation White Paper

Regulatory coordination will support businesses to invest confidently in AI innovation and build public trust by ensuring real risks are effectively addressed. While some regulators already work together to ensure regulatory coherence for AI through formal networks like the AI and digital regulations service in the health sector and the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF), other regulators have limited capacity and access to AI expertise.

EMCCA - Get East Midlands Working Plan 2025-2035 (Draft)

The plan explicitly links health, skills, and employment support to tackle the root causes of economic inactivity. Poor health is identified as a major barrier to work, so improving health outcomes is seen as essential for reaching the target of 80% employment by 2035. EMCCA aims to create a fairer system where health and employment opportunities come together, working closely with NHS Integrated Care Boards in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. This includes joint initiatives to help people with health conditions stay in work or return to work.

Gov UK - Keep Britain Working

The review directly highlights the poor access to assistive technology as a significant structural barrier blocking disabled and ill people from entering and remaining in employment. While assistive technology is seen as a key solution, the current system is ineffective. 

The review and related reports emphasize that improving access to and funding for assistive technology is a shared responsibility among employers, employees, and the government. The initiative aims to better utilize these tools within a new, coordinated system of workplace health provision. 

Nottingham City Council - Better Lives Better Outcomes   

Our everyday lives are transforming through the use of digital technology, and we think that this same technology can transform the way we offer care and support to citizens. We want to make sure we are making the best use of the opportunities technology creates in our work with citizens.

Workforce: The adult social care sector in the East Midland region contributed £3.7 billion to the English economy in 2016/17. Approximately half of this sum is the wage bill of the sector. The sector is projected to grow by 32% by 2030 if demand continues on the current trajectory and the workforce expands proportionately to meet this increased demand.

Gov UK - Workforce Disability Equality Standard: 2024 data analysis report for NHS trusts

We know that to achieve the goals that will be set out for our staff in the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan, we must enhance the experience of our workforce, improving retention and attracting new talent to the NHS from the widest possible pool.

Gov UK - Artificial Intelligence Playbook (February 2025)

AI Playbook for the UK Government updates and expands on the Generative AI Framework for HMG. This updated guidance will help government departments and public sector organisations harness the power of a wider range of AI technologies safely, effectively, and responsibly.

Gov UK – 2025 UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy

The technology revolution is opening up immense possibilities for innovation and economic growth. AI, automation, robotics, digitization, augmented and virtual reality, medicines, advanced materials, 3-D printing and new energy technologies are transforming how we live, work, and improve health and resilience.

Gov UK - IP Guidance for the NHS

The UK government and NHS England have recently updated the intellectual property (IP) guidance for the NHS to streamline processes and encourage the faster adoption of innovations, including robotics and AI. This new guidance provides a flexible and adaptable framework for managing IP across the NHS in England, with a focus on modern technologies like AI and robotics.  

Understand that artificial intelligence (AI) generated innovations present unique challenges, such as authorship, data ownership and protection.

Gov UK - National AI Strategy (2021)

Begin engagement on the Draft National Strategy for AI-driven technologies in Health and Social Care, through the NHS AI Lab

NHS - 10 Year Plan

Aim is to create a new model of care in the NHS. Using UK’s competitive edge - NHS data, life sciences prowess, world leading universities - to lead the world on the innovation that will most accelerate reform. 5 transformative technologies have been identified - data, AI, genomics, wearables and robotics - that will personalise care, improve outcomes, increase productivity and boost economic growth.

Gov UK - AI Opportunities Action Plan (January 2025)

Work with regulators to accelerate AI in priority sectors and implement pro-innovation initiatives like regulatory sandboxes. These should be targeted in areas with regulatory challenges but high-growth potential, such as products which integrate AI into the physical world like autonomous vehicles, drones and robotics.

For Further Information please contact Praminda.Caleb-Solly@nottingham.ac.uk