NHS England " NHS accelerates artificial intelligence rollout to cut waiting times and improve care for millions

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A major rollout of new artificial intelligence (AI) tools across the NHS is being accelerated to help cut waiting lists and improve care for millions of patients.

A new AI triage tool in the NHS App that helps direct patients to the most appropriate NHS service, as well as widespread access to AI notetaking tools to reduce admin for NHS staff, are among the improvements being prioritised across England.

Today the NHS is setting out how £10 billion of funding over the next three years, allocated by the government last year, will be used for a major overhaul of the health service’s technology, digital and data systems.

The improvements 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.

The NHS App’s new AI triage tool is being rolled out following a successful trial. It is due to reach more than 200,000 patients within the next 12 months and be available to all NHS App users by April 2028.

The tool makes sure patients are directed to the right care, first time – whether that’s a GP appointment, pharmacy, A&E, community service or self-care advice – by adapting questions depending on responses to get a more detailed view of a patient’s condition.

It then either directs them to the most appropriate service or provides clinicians with the information they need to prioritise care.

An initial trial at a GP practice in Sussex resulted in a 29% reduction in the number of people queuing on the phone – helping to end the 8am rush while maintaining patient satisfaction levels.

Patients will continue to have the option of using traditional methods to contact their GP practice alongside the new AI triage tool in the NHS App.

NHS England will also support a national rollout of AI tools which record conversations between patients and NHS staff to generate real-time transcriptions and clinical summaries.

The rollout will start 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.

A major NHS study published last year found that AI notetaking tools, known as ambient voice technology, free up clinicians to spend nearly a quarter more of their time with patients.

The study, led by Great Ormond Street Hospital, found that...