THIS Institute appoints Professor Carl Macrae to lead research on AI, safety and resilience in healthcare
Carl is an applied psychologist whose research examines how organisations working in high-risk, highly regulated environments can learn, innovate and improve. His work spans multiple sectors, from aviation to healthcare, and extends across academia, healthcare regulation, patient safety policy and national investigation bodies. He advises policymakers, regulators and healthcare organisations internationally.
His work has had wide influence on healthcare policy and safety practice. He contributed to the creation of England’s Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) and was awarded the British Psychological Society’s 2024 Outstanding Contribution Award for his impact on the field.
At THIS Institute, Carl will lead research on the management and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, with a particular focus on safety and reliability, as well as leading a broader programme of research on managing quality and safety system-wide.
His appointment comes at a critical moment as health systems seek to realise the benefits of AI while grappling with the challenges of implementation. Carl is clear that new technologies need to be introduced in ways that are safe, trustworthy and responsive to the realities of clinical work and patient experience.
“Working across different sectors has reinforced my view that many of the quality and safety challenges across healthcare are genuinely systemic and need much closer alignment and integration between different regulators, agencies, policymakers and practitioners.”
Carl suggests that safely integrating AI into healthcare will mean breaking down the silos between those who represent and regulate professionals, providers, products and – of course – patients.
One of his key insights is the importance of thinking and organising in systems, and understanding the practical work that people do to make systems work.
“Healthcare so often represents the pinnacle of human achievement in science, innovation and compassion—and yet it struggles with some of the basics that are often taken for granted in other industries,” he adds. “These include seemingly simple things like standardising the layout of numerical keypads on a device or making sure that everyone knows where essential equipment is stored.”
“Sometimes the complexity of healthcare seems to distract us from the importance of getting the simple things right.”
Professor Mary Dixon-Woods, Director of THIS Institute, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Carl Macrae to THIS Institute at a time when key decisions need to be made about how AI and other innovations should be evaluated, governed and used in healthcare.
“If innovation, including AI, is to improve care, it must be introduced with a clear understanding of how healthcare systems actually work, what risks need to be managed, and what benefits matter most to patients, staff and the public. Carl’s expertise and track record in safety, resilience and the management of risk in complex systems will be invaluable in ensuring that those choices are guided by rigorous, timely and usable evidence”
Carl said he was looking forward to working with colleagues across THIS Institute and its partners to develop practical approaches that support safer, more resilient care as healthcare systems adopt new forms of innovation.