NHS England (NHSE) is accelerating the rollout of a new AI triage tool that will direct patients to “the most appropriate NHS service”, it announced last week.
The tool in the NHS app aims to match patients with the “right care, first time” by adapting questions based on patient responses to better understand their condition.
It will then direct users towards the most appropriate NHS service – such as their local pharmacy, GP, A&E or community service – or provide them with self-care advice.
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NHSE said the rollout follows a successful trial at a GP practice in Sussex, where use of the service resulted in a 29% reduction in the number of people queuing on the phone.
The tool is due to be rolled out to 200,000 patients within the next year and to all NHS app users by April 2028, with patients still given the option to contact their GP using traditional methods.
“Hasn’t replaced judgement”
Dr Ragu Rajan, from the Wealden Ridge Medical Partnership in Sussex where the pilot took place, said that “as a rural practice serving 23,000 patients across four sites, we know how hard it can be for people to reach us”.
“Integrating AI triage directly into the NHS App means our patients can tell us what they need, when they need it, and be directed to the right care first time,” he added.
“It hasn’t replaced our judgement – it’s given us back the time to use it.”
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And health secretary James Murray said the AI innovations will make “the NHS work better for patients and staff alike” and help ensure it is “fit for the future”.
It comes after NHSE chair Dr Penny Dash said that in the future, it “will be unusual” to go to a pharmacy to get your drugs.
Speaking at the Company Chemists’ Association’s annual conference last week, she told delegates that “you will get advice from a pharmacist”, while the “majority of drugs” will be delivered by “drones” or accessed via “barcodes”.