AI receptionists to cut missed appointments at NHS trusts

THE NHS will roll out artificial intelligence (AI) receptionists under new plans to cut the number of missed hospital appointments.

The technology, which books appointments and predicts who will not attend, is to be used by 10 NHS trusts across England after a successful pilot in Essex.

The AI programme, created by tech firm Deep Medical, uses insights including people’s jobs, child-care commitments, live traffic and weather updates to determine who is most unlikely to show up and maximise doctors’ time.

NHS leaders plan to tackle the waiting list of 7.6 million people by clamping down on the one in 20 hospital appointments that is lost to Did Not Attends (DNAS).

In 2023, eight million, or 6.5 per cent, of the 124.5 million outpatient appointments in England involved a no-show. The software’s creators, an AI expert and junior doctor turned clinical entrepreneur, claim their product can predict DNAS with 90 per cent accuracy.

Through machine learning, the programme is then able to populate a doctor’s patient list for the day to include additional patients. For example, it would calculate 21 people for 20 consultant slots on the basis that one person would not turn up. If all 21 did attend, the doctor would claim the extra time back spent working in lieu, which is also factored into future scheduling.

In the pilot at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, the programme reduced DNAS by 30 per cent over a sixmonth period, with just 377 people not turning up for an appointment.

It meant an extra 1,910 people were seen and is forecast to save the trust £27.5million in a single year.

The cost of missed appointments across the whole country is around £1.2 billion, according to the NHS.

Hospitals in London, Newcastle, Northampton, Surrey and Devon are among those set to benefit and more are likely to sign up, it is understood.

£27.5m The amount Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is forecast to save in a single year thanks to the technology