Dermatology services in the UK are edging toward gridlock. Urgent referrals for suspected skin cancer are rising faster than in any other specialty, while consultant numbers lag far behind demand. Unless capacity is released, patients face longer delays for both routine care and potentially life-saving diagnoses.

Artificial intelligence will not be a panacea, but if deployed with care,  can help sift out low-risk lesions, automate routine documentation and give specialists the space to focus on complex cases. Early successes in fields such as radiology show what is possible; dermatology now needs policy that lets safe technology flourish while protecting patients.

This report from the British Association of Dermatologists explains how policy can convert  promise into practical benefit, alongside the implementation of appropriate safeguards. It maps five interlocking levers – regulation, digital plumbing, data access, market incentives and workforce skills – required to facilitate progress. Though not prescriptive, we highlight how coordinated action will determine whether AI eases pressure or compounds it.

Timing matters. The Government’s forthcoming 10-Year Health Plan will set headline ambitions for the health system, but the real test will be the guidance, funding formulas and procurement regulations that follow. The recommendations in this report provide a framework to shape how the Plan is translated into practice. By influencing next-stage decisions – clinical commissioning and regulatory frameworks, reimbursement pathways, digital-infrastructure investments – we can ensure dermatology is a proactive pioneer and   early beneficiary of AI in clinical practice, rather than an afterthought.

Delay has a price: the pressure on dermatology services is on the rise. By acting now, the NHS could see today’s bottleneck turned into tomorrow’s blueprint for digital healthcare transformation. The British Association of Dermatologists, through multi-stakeholder input and our own expertise and clinical insights, has drafted a framework for success.