Government publishes details of what it claims has been a successful trial, in which a tech platform was used to help record key info from treatment of thousands of Londoners

The government has outlined its commitment to growing the use of artificial intelligence across the health service, after extensive trials of an automated tool for taking notes during clinical consultations.

In recent months, an ambient voice technology (AVT) system has been trialled across London, in an exercise funded by NHS England and led by the capital’s Great Ormond Street Hospital.

During the pilot process, AVT – which the Department of Health and Social Care said “can transcribe patient-clinician conversations, create structured medical notes, and even draft patient letters” – has been tested during consultations with more than 7,000 patients. This has encompassed a range of locations and care settings, including primary care, community care, adult outpatient services, paediatrics, accident and emergency response, ambulance services, and mental health care.

After listening in on consultations, the AVT then provided the attending clinician question with a draft of clinical notes, according to the DHSC. These write-ups were then edited and signed off by human clinical professionals “before being uploaded to the secure electronic health record system and sent on to patients and their families”.

The department indicated that initial analysis of data gained during the trials “has demonstrated widespread benefits”.

This includes “clinicians spending more time spent with patients rather than typing on a computer… [and enabling] more patients to  seen in emergency departments by carrying out admin for A&E staff”.

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Government claims that, without this kind of technology, doctors currently often have to spend large portions of consultations taking notes on their computer, rather than engaging with their patient. And, after the consultation is concluded, clinicians are then required to summarise these notes for the purpose of a referral letter for further treatment.

Dr Maaike Kusters, a paediatric immunology consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital, 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.”

Having revealed details of the successful trial, the DHSC said that “NHS clinicians will be supported to use groundbreaking artificial intelligence tools that bulldoze bureaucracy and take notes to free up staff time and deliver better care to patients”.

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.”