NHS accelerates AI rollout

NHS England is accelerating the rollout of artificial intelligence (AI) tools across the health service, expanding the use of AI-powered patient triage and clinical notetaking technologies as part of plans to reduce waiting lists and improve care for patients.

The programme forms part of the government’s £10 billion investment in NHS technology and data, with NHS England saying the changes are expected to deliver around half of the commitments set out in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan and generate £41 billion in benefits over the next decade.

Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, said the NHS was already seeing measurable benefits from AI.

“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.”

He added: “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.”

AI triage to expand through the NHS App

A key part of the programme is a new AI-powered triage tool within the NHS App, which is designed to help direct patients to the most appropriate NHS service the first time.

The tool adapts its questions according to a patient’s responses to build a more detailed understanding of their condition before either directing them to the most appropriate service – including a GP, pharmacy, community service or A&E – or providing clinicians with information to help prioritise care.

Following a successful pilot in Sussex, the technology is expected to reach more than 200,000 patients over the next year before becoming available to all NHS App users by April 2028. NHS England said the pilot reduced telephone queue demand by 29 percent while maintaining patient satisfaction.

Wider rollout of AI notetaking

NHS England is also accelerating the deployment of ambient voice technology that automatically records consultations and produces real-time clinical notes and summaries.

According to NHS England, a study led by Great Ormond Street Hospital across nine London sites found clinicians using the technology spent up to 25 percent more time with patients, while emergency department staff saved up to 47 minutes per shift on documentation. If deployed nationally, NHS England estimates the technology could create capacity for more than 9,000 additional A&E appointments every day.

The announcement follows NHS England’s recent decision to provide more than 500,000 NHS staff with AI-powered productivity tools to reduce administrative workloads.

Success depends on clinical workflows

Responding to the announcement, Dr Hannah Allen, GP and chief medical officer at AI care partner Heidi, said AI delivers value when it supports frontline care rather than creating additional administrative burdens.

“AI earns its place in the NHS when it gets patients to the right care faster and reduces the time-consuming tasks that pull clinicians away from the patient in front of them.”

However, she cautioned that technology deployments must be designed around the realities of clinical practice.

“But rollouts like this are more impactful if the tools match how care is delivered in real-world clinical settings. Too much past technology was built and deployed around managerial and financial needs rather than clinical ones, creating friction and clunky processes for clinical teams.

“Good integration and design means grounding these tools in how clinicians actually work, and reaching thousands of NHS staff only means something if those tools stay connected to that work rather than sitting apart from it.

“If we get this right as these tools scale, it will make a real difference to a workforce that currently spends over a third of its working hours on documentation, often outside paid hours.”