NHS England has announced the roll out of Microsoft 365 Copilot to 505,000 NHS clinical and support staff, with ambitions of freeing up an average of two days per month from administrative tasks by using AI to help draft documents and analyse data “more effectively”.
The roll out follows a pilot where 30,000 NHS employees across 90 NHS organisations utilised Copilot, with results noting it saved 43 minutes per staff member, per day, when used to support admin work. NHSE now projects that a full roll out of the tool across the NHS could save “millions of hours” of staff time every month.
Each NHS trust is reportedly to receive an allocation of licences based on organisational headcount, with the intention of hitting the milestone of half a million staff with access by October 2026.
Anticipated use cases outlined cover clinical admin such as the drafting of letters or registrar training, supporting ward clerks with patient discharge or bed management, and assisting with the drafting of patient letters or template creation for consistency. Also considered is the potential for the tool to be used in HR and procurement, as well as in drafting board papers or conducting organisational analysis.
“The NHS wants to embrace cutting-edge technology and this Microsoft partnership will mean staff can be freed from admin so they can focus more of their time on what matters most – improving care for patients,” says Rob Thompson, NHSE chief digital, data and technology officer. “Innovations like this will help drive NHS productivity so patients can get the treatment they need sooner and there is better value for taxpayers. The potential to save NHS staff around 2 days of admin time every month could be a gamechanger for patients. As part of our 10 Year Health Plan, we’re making sure every pound is spent on cutting waiting times and boosting care.”
In its most recent meeting, NHSE’s board noted the risk of “innovation freeze” if new regulatory requirements cannot be met for AI-enabled technologies. It also shared updates on research and innovation covering the need for a more integrated health tech delivery approach, with four areas prioritised for the testing of innovative procurement approaches: AI-enabled dermatology triage; digital health therapeutics for insomnia; robotic-assisted surgery; and wearables for digital cardiac rehabilitation.
Wider trend: AI in health and care
The Government of Canada has published its national AI strategy: “AI for All”, promising free AI literacy training for all citizens, up to 250,000 new jobs by 2031, an AI Missions Programme with $200 million for projects improving health outcomes, and $700 million for access to public compute for SMEs via a new fund. Recognising the importance of treating data as a “strategic national asset”, the government moves to put $100 million into the launch of the Health Sector Data Space to link secure, private, and standardised datasets for clinical trials and health research. Another $100 million will go toward expanding the VITAL health data platform across five additional provinces, leveraging clinical data and enabling health data innovation that helps reduce mortality and accelerate critical care.
The CQC has shared progress on how its developing the regulatory model and assessment frameworks for the use of AI in health and social care, noting its role in assessing how AI meets fundamental standards, the impact on risks, safety or access to care, and to recognise when AI contributes to outstanding care. Providers should follow a number of principles, the CQC explains, including the use of AI to enhance but not replace human decision making, human oversight and continual monitoring of outputs and processes, transparency and choice to support informed decisions, safety and reliability, and security.
An AI policy from Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust has outlined its acceptable uses, practical guidance, and responsibility for the use of AI tools and systems. “The trust is committed to fostering a culture of innovation across all levels of the organisation, encouraging staff to explore new ideas, challenge conventional practices, and embrace creative solutions that enhance patient care, operational efficiency, and workforce wellbeing,” Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber states. “As part of this commitment, we actively support the responsible exploration and integration of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.”
