2026-07-06 11:07:22
The NHS is set to introduce artificial intelligence to its app to help direct patients to the most appropriate healthcare services, as part of a wider government drive to modernise the health service.
The AI-powered tool will assess patients’ symptoms before advising whether they should book a GP appointment or instead attend a pharmacy, urgent treatment centre or A+E department, depending on the severity of their condition.
The rollout will initially reach around 200,000 patients over the next year before becoming available to all NHS App users by April 2028.
The move forms part of a £10 billion government investment programme aimed at upgrading NHS technology and data systems, with ministers hoping it will improve efficiency and reduce waiting times.
Ending the so-called 8am scramble for same-day GP appointments was one of Labour’s key manifesto commitments ahead of the 2024 general election.
The Government said a pilot at Wealden Ridge Medical Partnership, which operates GP surgeries across Sussex, resulted in a 29 per cent reduction in patients queueing on phone lines for appointments.
The wider technology programme will also see AI used to record patient consultations, reducing the need for clinicians to take notes. Officials said a trial led by Great Ormond Street Hospital across nine London sites found healthcare staff spent 25 per cent more time interacting with patients when using the technology.
Health Secretary James Murray said he was “certain” the new technology would “get patients to the right care faster, free our brilliant clinicians from mountains of paperwork, and help drive down waiting times”.
Healthcare leaders welcomed the investment but urged ministers to develop a broader long-term strategy for AI across the NHS.
Lynn Woolsey, chief nursing officer at the Royal College of Nursing, said: “There are also warnings to heed, with growing concerns about overstated, overly optimistic assessments of the productivity benefits from AI.
“We cannot have situations where it increases bureaucracy through the need to correct flawed or inaccurate work.
“Patients must be reassured that any new systems handling their information, such as ambient voice technology, are accurate and properly protect confidentiality.”
Tim Horton, deputy director of policy at the Health Foundation, said it was “critical that these plans are part of a broader blueprint for reshaping how care is delivered”.
Pritesh Mistry, a fellow at The King’s Fund, added: “For patients, the real test will be whether these investments make care feel more joined up, more convenient and more empowering.”
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