NHS major new change set to give Brits more face-to-face time with doctors

The NHS has confirmed that it will introduce a significant change that could help 'free up'face-to-face care for patients. According to the NHS, organisations across England are being encouraged to take advantage of newly available technology that could save clinicians up to two or three minutes for each patient consultation.

The new national registry of 19 technology suppliers includes the use of AI to help record clinician-patient conversations and then generate real-time transcriptions and summaries. According to the NHS, theAI tools, known as ambient voice technologies, are accurate and keep data protected.

NHS England published a new self-certified registry for the technology today (January 16), requiring suppliers to comply with clinical safety and technology standards as well as data protection. It comes after NHS guidance published last year advised NHS organisations to use AI notetaking tools that are safe, evidence-based, and can benefit patients.

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Dr Alec Price-Forbes, NHS England National Chief Clinical Information Officer, said: “The AI revolution is here and we want to arm our NHS staff with the latest technology, which has the potential to transform the quality, safety and experience of care patients receive, as well as improving efficiency. AI notetaking tools will help free up more time for clinicians to focus on their patients, rather than typing up notes or looking at a screen – enhancing the quality of consultations and improving overall patient satisfaction.

“We are working with NHS organisations to help them implement the technology safely and effectively – helping to make the NHS the most AI-enabled healthcare system in the world, as we shift from analogue to digital.”

How AI could help improve patient care

According to the NHS, AI notetaking technology was tested across nine NHS sites and was proven to free up clinicians to spend nearly a quarter more time with patients, compared to before it was used. A study led by Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust's Innovation Unit (GOSH DRIVE) across the nine NHS sites in London evaluated over 17,000 patient encounters.

The study, which was carried out across a variety of sites, including hospitals, GP practices, mental health services, and ambulance services, showed that there was 23.5% increase in direct patient interaction time during appointments

Furthermore, there was an 8.2% reduction in overall appointment length whenever the AI-scribes were used. Meanwhile, there was a 13.4% increase in patients seen per shift.

Minister for Digital Government Ian Murray said: “AI has enormous potential to transform public services, and this is a prime example of how we can use it to make a real difference. By cutting down on admin and paperwork, we’re giving clinicians back valuable time to do what they do best – caring for patients.

“We’re committed to making the UK an exemplar for how technology can be used to improve public services. Supporting the NHS to adopt tools like these safely and effectively is a key part of that mission.”

The NHS has highlighted procurement for the technology will be carried out by individual NHS bodies in accordance with their own governance processes.