The NHS has completed the largest artificial intelligence trial in global healthcare, involving over 30,000 staff across 90 organisations, demonstrating how Microsoft 365 Copilot could revolutionise productivity and patient care.
The pilot revealed that AI-powered administrative support could save NHS staff an average of 43 minutes per day, equating to five weeks per person annually. A full rollout could save up to 400,000 hours per month, freeing up millions of hours each year for frontline care.
The NHS estimates that with 100,000 users, Microsoft 365 Copilot could save millions of pounds monthly, potentially reaching hundreds of millions annually. These savings will be reinvested directly into patient care and frontline services.
Key productivity gains include:
- 83,333 hours/month saved in note-taking during over 1 million Teams meetings
- 271,000 hours/month saved by summarising complex email chains
- 13,200 hours/month saved across other admin tasks
Dr Zubir Ahmed, Health Innovation Minister, said:
“As an NHS surgeon and clinician, I know how frustrating it can be to be held up by archaic technology that makes day-to-day tasks painstakingly long.
“This partnership with Microsoft will help free up staff from spending time on admin so they can focus on what they want to be doing - treating patients.
“Innovations like this will help drive NHS productivity so patients can get the treatment they need sooner and there is better value for taxpayers. We’re making sure every pound is spent on cutting waiting times and boosting care through our Plan for Change.”
This AI integration is part of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, which aims to shift the NHS from analogue to digital, cut waste, and boost efficiency. Between April 2024 and March 2025, NHS productivity in acute trusts rose by 2.7%, exceeding the government’s 2% annual target.
Microsoft Copilot Chat is now available across the entire NHS at no additional cost, with over 50,000 staff already using Microsoft 365 Copilot. The software integrates AI into everyday tools like Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, helping staff manage tasks, collaborate, and streamline workflows.
This trial builds on the NHS’s strategic partnership with Microsoft, showcasing how collective buying power can secure market-leading tools at reduced cost for taxpayers, while driving forward the largest digital transformation in NHS history.
Image credit: iStock
