Artificial intelligence (AI) is driving an initiative to improve patient care through doctors being encourage to use AI tools to free up their time. The tools will assist clinicians in taking notes and handling admin, giving clinicians more time during an appointment to focus on the patient, as well as reducing appointment times altogether.

Guidance published today will advise hospitals and clinicians to take up these tools — which use speech technologies and generative AI to convert spoken words into structured medical notes and letters — across a range of primary and secondary care settings.

One of the tools, ambient voice technologies (AVTs), can transcribe patient-clinician conversations, create medical notes, and even draft patient letters. Specialist guidance on data compliance, security, and risk will be given, as well as thorough staff training to ensure that patient safety is the priority.

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children has led research into AVT in London, funded by NHS England, which found benefits across data involving 7000 patients. Data shows an increase in direct care as clinicians spent less time typing on a computer, and an increase in productivity in A&E, as the lift of administrative burden has allowed clinicians to see more patients.

Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting said: “AI is the catalyst that will revolutionise healthcare and drive inefficiencies 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 by 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.”