A MAJOR NHS trial suggests that AI-scribe technology could significantly increase patient interaction time while reducing administrative burden, improving both clinician wellbeing and care quality across multiple healthcare settings.
Evidence From a London-Wide NHS AI-Scribe Trial
AI-scribe tools use ambient voice technology to listen to consultations and automatically generate draft clinical notes for review. NHS England has increasingly explored such tools as part of its wider digital transformation strategy aimed at reducing clinician burnout and improving patient experience.
A large NHS England–sponsored study, led by Great Ormond Street Hospital’s innovation unit GOSH DRIVE, evaluated AI-scribe technology across nine NHS sites in London. The trial included hospitals, GP practices, mental health services, and ambulance teams, assessing how AI-scribe systems performed in real-world clinical environments.
Measured Gains in Time, Efficiency, and Care Quality
The study analysed more than 17,000 patient encounters and found that clinicians using AI-scribe technology spent 23.5% more time in direct patient interaction. Overall appointment length fell by 8.2%, suggesting consultations became both more focused and more efficient. In accident and emergency departments, the number of patients seen per shift increased by 13.4%.
Clinicians reported a 35% reduction in feeling overwhelmed by notetaking, with particularly strong benefits noted among neurodivergent staff and those working in high-pressure settings. Patient response was also positive, with 92% consenting to AI-scribe use and reporting improved engagement during consultations.
Economic modelling estimated that if AI-scribe adoption enabled one additional patient per clinician per shift, this could unlock £176 million in documentation time savings and create up to £658 million in additional capacity annually if scaled nationally.
Implications for NHS Practice and Future Rollout
Importantly, AI-scribe systems do not make clinical decisions. All notes are reviewed and edited by clinicians before being saved, addressing safety and accountability concerns. Following the trial’s success, a phased rollout across outpatient services at GOSH is planned, and the findings have already informed national NHS guidance.
As NHS England encourages wider adoption through its new registry of approved suppliers, AI-scribe technology may become a central tool in shifting the health service from analogue workflows to digitally enabled, patient-centred care.
Reference
NHS. GOSH-led trial of AI-scribe technology shows ‘transformative’ benefits for patients and clinicians across London. Available at: https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/news/researchgosh-led-trial-of-ai-scribe-technology-shows-transformative-benefits-for-patients-and-clinicians-across-london/. Last accessed: 02 February 2026.
