Barts Health NHS Trust has highlighted efficiencies achieved through the use of AI in handling patient complaints, sharing outcomes from a six month project at Newham Hospital.
AI tools in use form part of the Microsoft Copilot system, and are approved for NHS use, the trust explains. All responses are reviewed and approved by staff members, and conversations, investigations, and clinical decisions are “always led by people”.
The trust emphasises that the use of AI does not replace a “personal touch”, but allows teams to focus on speaking to patients and families to resolve their concerns.
Over a period of six months, the project resulted in increased efficiency in the complaints process, Barts Health shares. Key outcomes included a reduction of more than half in the amount of time spent drafting response letters, a “significant” reduction in the number of cases needing to be reopened, and an increased ability to respond to patients more quickly.
New guidance is reportedly now in development to inform the safe and ethical use of AI to benefit patients across the trust’s hospitals. Bumi Akinmutande, group central complaints manager, said: “This will help us work more efficiently and smarter across all hospitals – freeing up staff time for direct patient contact, engaging more fully where “human involvement” is necessary, and responding faster.”
Earlier this year, Barts Health outlined plans to invest in ambient voice technology “at scale” following its participation in a national pilot. The pilot saw 250 staff members from across the trust using Oracle’s Clinical AI Agent to capture conversations during clinic appointments. An app on smartphones was used to record, allowing for the tech to transcribe, summarise, and turn conversations into clinical notes, reportedly generating letters for patients and GPs.
More than two-thirds of clinicians that took part stated that the quality of their consultations had improved, and more than half reported saving five minutes or more per appointment, Barts Health states. The success has led to plans to roll the tool out further into inpatient settings, and to extend to outpatients and emergency departments. The trust is also looking to incorporate the tool into its Millennium EPR.
Wider trend: AI in health and care
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