Dr Nisha Sharma, is a member of several national breast screening committees and is driving innovation at Leeds Teaching Hospital with the support of Leeds Hospitals Charity.

"Often great ideas will come from those on the front line delivering clinical work. And just a small amount of funding can make ahuge difference. As a radiologist, it’s important to embrace new technologies to be able to diagnose cancer confidently.

My interest in artificial intelligence (AI) arose from the fact that we have a staffing crisis. In breast imaging, we know that a third of radiologists will retire by 2025, currently there are not enough trainees to fill those posts. We undertook a landmark retrospective study, collecting data looking at the impact of AI in reading mammograms, resulting in us setting up the first prospective trial in the UK using AI technology.

Ultimately, it is hoped that the AI will identify additional cancers which will make a real difference to the health outcomes of patients in Leeds. It’s a game changer. The quality of the mammogram is really important to help us identify cancers on the mammogram. Leeds Hospitals Charity has funded an innovative project looking at how AI can assess the quality of the mammogram and provide real-time feedback to our mammographers.

These innovations will support the current challenges we face in terms of workforce and also maintain the high-quality service we strive to deliver for our communities."