Major NHS AI Trial Saves Hundreds of Thousands of Hours, Boosting Patient Care
A groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) pilot has demonstrated how new technology can save NHS staff hundreds of thousands of hours each month, helping to improve patient care and reduce costs across the health service.
The largest healthcare AI trial of its kind globally, involving more than 30,000 NHS workers across 90 NHS organisations, tested Microsoft 365 Copilot, an AI-powered personal assistant embedded into everyday office software such as Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Trial results show that AI assistance could save NHS staff an average of 43 minutes per day, equivalent to five weeks per person annually. Extrapolated across the service, a full roll-out could save up to 400,000 hours of staff time per month, freeing clinicians and administrators to focus on frontline care.
“As an NHS surgeon, I know how frustrating outdated technology can be,” said Health Innovation Minister Dr Zubir Ahmed. “This partnership with Microsoft helps staff spend less time on admin and more time treating patients. Innovations like this will drive productivity, reduce waiting times, and ensure every pound is spent improving care.”
The AI system can perform tasks such as summarising long email threads, taking meeting notes, and streamlining workflows, potentially saving the NHS over 83,000 hours a month in Teams meeting notes and 271,000 hours summarising emails. With more than 10.3 million emails sent monthly, the efficiency gains are significant.
“This trial proves the extraordinary potential of AI to transform healthcare,” said Darren Hardman, CEO of Microsoft UK and Ireland. “By reducing administrative burdens, Microsoft 365 Copilot allows NHS staff to redirect hundreds of thousands of hours every month toward patient care, while potentially saving the NHS millions of pounds annually.”
The NHS 10 Year Health Plan aims to modernise the health service by shifting from analogue to digital, cutting waste, and improving efficiency. Productivity across acute trusts has already increased by 2.7% year-on-year, exceeding the government’s 2% target, and AI technology like Copilot is a key driver of this improvement.
Microsoft 365 Copilot is now available across the NHS at no additional cost, with more than 50,000 staff currently using the tool. By embedding AI directly into software staff already use daily, NHS organisations can collaborate more effectively, manage tasks faster, and improve operational efficiency.
The trial builds on the existing NHS-Microsoft partnership, which provides all NHS organisations with market-leading productivity tools at reduced cost, ensuring taxpayers receive value while the health service undergoes the largest digital transformation in its history.
“Reducing administrative work frees up staff to focus on what matters most – patient care,” Dr Ahmed added. “This AI trial is a major step forward in making the NHS faster, more efficient, and ready for the future.”
