The NHS is accelerating its rollout out of AI in a bid to cut waiting times and improve care.
The NHS has set out how £10 billion of funding over the next three years will be used for a major overhaul of technology, digital and data systems.
The changes are expected to deliver around half of the commitments in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan and generate £41 billion in total benefits over the next decade.
Following a successful trial, a new AI triage tool is being rolled out and is due to reach more than 200,000 patients within the next 12 months. It will be available to all NHS App users by April 2028.
The tolls aims to make sure patients are directed to the right care quickly at the first time, by adapting questions depending on responses to get a more detailed view of a patient’s condition. It will then either direct them to the most appropriate service or provide clinicians with the information they need to prioritise care.
An initial trial at a GP practice in Sussex resulted in a 29 per cent reduction in the number of people queuing on the phone.
There will also be a rollout of AI tools which record conversations between patients and NHS staff to generate real-time transcriptions and clinical summaries. This will begin with hospital appointments not requiring an overnight stay where their use has been proven to significantly reduce the amount of time clinicians spent on admin.
Sir Jim Mackey, Chief Executive of NHS England, said: “The major overhaul of tech we’re making over the next few years will transform services.
“The new AI tool in the NHS App will help get patients to the best service for their needs first time – whether that’s a GP appointment, trip to a pharmacy or advice on caring for themselves at home – so that clinicians can make sure those most in need of a GP appointment can get one sooner.
“We’re also seeing huge benefits from the introduction of AI notetaking tools, with clinicians finding they’re able to spend up to a quarter more of their time with patients, so we’re rolling out the tools as quickly as possible across the NHS.
“We’re prioritising the improvements that will make the biggest difference and supporting local leaders to adopt them to drive change in their services – helping to cut waiting lists and improve care for millions of patients so that the NHS is fit for the future.”
Health and Social Care Secretary, James Murray, said: “As the NHS marks 78 years of serving patients, this investment shows how we can build on that proud legacy by embracing the technologies that will shape its future.
“As someone who believes deeply in the power of tech to transform public services, I’ve made sure we’re backing the right innovations, which will have the biggest positive impact on patients and clinicians and give us the biggest bang for our buck.
“I’m certain the technological innovations I’ve chosen to prioritise will get patients to the right care faster, free our brilliant clinicians from mountains of paperwork, and help drive down waiting times.
“By harnessing the power of AI – using it to direct people to the right service first time and giving clinicians back more time to spend with patients – we’re making the NHS work better for patients and staff alike and helping make it fit for the future for its next 78 years.”
