New AI‑powered notetaking tools backed by NHS England could allow doctors and other clinicians to spend up to a quarter more time with patients, helping improve care while reducing administrative burden.
NHS organisations across England are now being encouraged to adopt the technology following the launch of a new national registry of approved suppliers. The registry includes 19 self‑certified providers of so‑called ambient voice technologies, which securely capture clinician–patient conversations and use artificial intelligence to generate real‑time transcriptions and clinical summaries.
By automatically producing consultation notes for clinicians to review, the tools can save two to three minutes per appointment, freeing up valuable time for patient care and enabling staff to see more patients each day. NHS England says all suppliers on the registry must meet strict requirements on clinical safety, technology standards and data protection, ensuring the technology is safe, effective and compliant.
The registry builds on national NHS guidance published last year, which advised organisations to adopt AI notetaking tools that are evidence‑based and demonstrably beneficial for patients and staff.
Evidence from NHS trials suggests the impact could be substantial. AI notetaking technology tested across nine NHS sites has been shown to increase the amount of time clinicians spend directly interacting with patients by nearly 25%.
A major NHS England‑sponsored study, published last year, found the technology can significantly reduce clinician workload while improving patient care, with the potential to unlock millions of pounds’ worth of additional NHS activity if adopted nationally.
The study, led by Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust’s Innovation Unit (GOSH DRIVE), analysed more than 17,000 patient encounters across a wide range of settings, including hospitals, GP practices, mental health services and ambulance teams.
Results showed that when AI‑scribing tools were used, direct patient interaction time increased by 23.5%, while overall appointment length fell by 8.2%. Emergency departments saw particularly strong benefits, with a 13.4% increase in the number of patients seen per shift.
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.”
NHS England also says the national supplier registry will help trusts and practices adopt the technology more quickly and consistently, supporting efforts to reduce bureaucracy, improve productivity and ensure clinicians can spend more time where it matters most: with patients.
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