NHS Doctors urged to use AI to Speed Up Appointments

NHS doctors have been encouraged to use AI tools to free up staff time so they can deliver better care to patients.

New government guidance published on April 27, 2025, encourages the use of AI that can take notes during consultations, allowing clinicians to focus more on their patients.

Interim trial data shows the revolutionary technology has dramatically reduced administration, meaning more patients are seen in A&E and appointments are shorter.

Through its Plan for Change, the government aims to get the NHS back on its feet and slash waiting lists.

The guidance encourages the use of speech technologies and generative AI that convert spoken words into structured notes and letters.

These tools will be rolled out across a range of settings including GP surgeries and hospitals.

The government’s mission-led approach is helping drive innovation across the health service, reforming the system and improving care for patients.

One of the key tools being rolled out is ambient voice technology (AVT), which can transcribe conversations, create medical notes, and draft letters.

Patient safety and privacy will be prioritised, with the guidance focusing on data compliance, security, and risk assessment.

Staff will also receive proper training before using the new technology to ensure standards are maintained.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “AI is the catalyst that will revolutionise healthcare and drive efficiencies across the NHS, as we deliver our Plan for Change and shift care from analogue to digital.

“I am determined we embrace this kind of technology, so clinicians don’t have to spend so much time pushing pens and can focus on their patients.

“This government made the difficult but necessary decision at the Budget to put a record £26 billion into our NHS and social care including cash to roll out more pioneering tech.”

The NHS England-funded, London-wide AVT programme, led by Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, has tested AVT across multiple clinical areas.

The multi-site evaluation involved over 7,000 patients across Adult Outpatients, Primary Care, Paediatrics, Mental Health, Community Care, A&E, and the London Ambulance Service.

Interim data shows the AI boosted direct care by allowing clinicians to spend more time with patients rather than on computers.

A&E departments reported increased productivity, with more patients being seen thanks to the technology handling administrative tasks.

At Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), AVTs recorded consultations and drafted clinic notes and letters for clinician review.

Clinicians said the AI helped them pay more attention to their patients without reducing the quality of the documentation.

Dr Maaike Kusters, Paediatric Immunology Consultant at GOSH, said:

“The patients I see in my clinics have very complex medical conditions and it’s so important to make sure I capture what we discuss in our appointments accurately, but often this means I am typing rather than looking directly at my patient and their family.

“Using the AI tool during the trial meant I could sit closer to them face-to-face and really focus on what they were sharing with me, without compromising on the quality of documentation.”

Currently, doctors in hospitals and surgeries must record information into a computer during consultations, limiting direct patient interaction.

Afterwards, they summarise this information into referral letters and other documents, adding further delays.

The government said it is determined to reform these outdated practices and believes the new technology will help clinicians see more patients, faster.

The Jean Bishop Integrated Care Centre in East Hull has already introduced ambient scribing technology to support staff caring for frail patients.

By turning conversations into clinical notes, the technology is freeing up time for GPs, consultants, nurses, and physiotherapists.

Thanks to government action, GP surgeries delivered 31.4 million appointments last month, a 6.1% increase compared to last year.

Waiting lists have also fallen by 219,000 patients, according to official figures.

The government is already using AI in other areas of healthcare, including speeding up diagnosis, assessing pain in non-verbal patients, and identifying breast cancer sooner.

Officials said these technologies are helping to improve care and speed up discharges, offering quicker and smarter NHS services.