Survey title: INvestigating inTERactions between AI and Clinicians in Tech-supported reporting of imaging (INTERACT)

Chief Investigator: Dr Maya Jafari

We would like to invite you to take part in a survey to explore how imaging professionals interact with Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the reporting of medical imaging. Before you take part:

• It is important for you to understand why we are doing the survey and what it will involve.
• Please take your time to read this information. Feel free to talk to others about this survey.
• You are free to decide whether to take part in this survey.
• If you wish to take part, you will be asked to sign and date an electronic consent form. You will receive a copy of the consent form and this information sheet for your records.

Why are we conducting this survey?

The latest Royal College of Radiologists' Clinical Radiology Workforce Census reflects a 29% shortfall of radiologists, relative to service demand in 2024. There are no specific figures about the number of reporting radiographers in the UK, however they play an important role in diagnostic imaging.

To address growing demand amid workforce shortages, policymakers, researchers, health professionals and data scientists are turning to technological innovation. AI has emerged as a promising tool to augment capacity, enhance efficiency and maximise reporting throughput in overburdened radiology departments.  

While AI systems are increasingly being considered and adopted in radiology departments, little is known about:

• how health professionals interact with these tools during routine reporting,

• how AI influences human decision-making,

• how disagreements between the AI and health professionals are managed and resolved, 

• what governance structures are in place to manage errors in AI-assisted reporting. 

The INTERACT survey aims to address these critical knowledge gaps.

Why am I being invited to take part?

You are being invited to take part as you are a radiologist, reporting radiographer, sonographers registrars/residents, cardiologist, nuclear physician, nuclear physicist, or other healthcare professional who currently use an AI tool to support imaging interpretation or reporting. 

What would taking part involve?

If you choose to participate in the survey, you will be asked to read and understand this information and then complete an electronic consent form. Following this, you will complete the short survey which is expected to take no longer than 15-minutes to complete. We will collect some demographic data (e.g., age, sex) and then ask you AI-specific questions. 

Do I have to take part in the survey?

No, your participation is entirely voluntary. It is your decision whether you would like to take part.

How many will take part in this survey?

We are aiming to achieve 1,000 survey responses from professionals involved in imaging reporting.

What are the possible risks or disadvantages of taking part?

We do not anticipate any risks or disadvantages with taking part in this survey.

What are the possible benefits of taking part?

There is no direct benefit to you. However, your input is invaluable. By sharing your experience, you will help to:

• inform service planning by identifying where and how AI systems are used in the NHS,

• support the development of governance frameworks for AI integration,

• provide baseline data essential for responsible scaling of AI in the NHS,

• shape national policy on AI training, consent and accountability,

• enable co-development of future AI solutions that reflect need of the clinicians.

Are there any costs and compensation?

There are no costs or compensation for taking part in this survey.

What if something goes wrong?

If you have any concerns or questions about any aspect of this survey, in the first instance, you should speak to a member of the research team whose details can be found at the end of this information.

If you are unhappy with any aspects of the study, you can contact the Sponsor's Research & Development department as below:

Name: David Rollins, Research Governance Manager
Address: STRIVE, The James Cook University Hospital, South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Marton Road, Middlesbrough, TS4 3BW
Email: stees.tvra.projects@nhs.net
Telephone: 01642 283501

If you remain unhappy, and wish to proceed with a complaint, you can contact the NHS's complaints mechanism by contacting the Patient Experience Team.

Address: The James Cook University Hospital, South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Marton Road, Middlesbrough, TS4 3BW
Email: stees.patient.experience@nhs.net
Telephone: 01642 835964

How will we use information about you?

Any information we collect about you will be stored in a secure location and electronically on a password protected database at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. As data controller we are responsible for looking after your information and using it properly. We will store personal data and collect additional data for research purposes, such as:

• Your name

• Age

• Sex

• Email address

People who do not need to know who you are will not be able to see your name or contact details. Your data will have a code number instead. We will keep all information about you safe and secure. The results from the survey will be written in a way that no-one could identify you personally from any reports or publications. Any data collected will be anonymised and may be used to inform future research. See, "How will my information be kept confidential?". 

If you wish to know the results of the survey, you can contact a member of the research team using the details at the end of this information sheet. The research study findings will also be available to review on the Sponsor's website and social media.

What are your choices about how your information is used?

• You can stop being a part of the survey at any time, without giving a reason, but we will keep information about you that we have already collected.

• We need to manage your records in specific ways for the research to be reliable. This means that we won't be able to let you see or change the data we hold about you.

Where can you find out more about how your information is used?

• At www.hra.nhs.uk/information-about-patients/  

• By asking a member of the research team.

• By contacting a member of the research team via email or telephone.

How will my information be kept confidential?

Your privacy is important. All information collected during this survey will be kept private and personal data will be handled in accordance with the GDPR and Data Protection Act (2018). 

Your identity as a participant in this survey will remain strictly confidential. Details such as your name, age and sex will not be shared. You will be identified by a code number only for any analysis and cannot be identified from study reports or any other outputs. 

We will make sure your data is protected. Anyone who accesses your data outside the UK must do what we tell them so that your data has a similar level of protection as it does under UK law. We will make sure your data is safe outside the UK by doing the following:

• we do not allow those who access your data outside the UK to use it for anything other than what our written contract with them says,

• we have procedures in place to deal with any suspected personal data breach. We will tell you and applicable regulators when there has been a breach of your personal data when this is legally required. For further details about UK breach reporting rules visit the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) website: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/report-a-breach.

By consenting to take part, you accept that the information provided in the survey and processed for the purposes of the study and in compliance with the Data Protection Act (2018). The survey results may be used for regulatory or scientific purposes and may be published but it will not be possible to identify you.

For more information, please contact the Data Protection Officer at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: stees.dpo@nhs.net  

What if relevant new information becomes available?

You will be notified in a timely manner of any new information that develops over the course of this survey that might affect your willingness to participate.

Further information and contact details

If you want more information about this study, please contact any of the research team members.

Contact Information

Study management: Academic Centre for Surgery, South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Phone: 01642 835985
Email: stees.aces@nhs.net 

Thank you for reading this participant information.