The artificial intelligence triage system will ask users a series of questions and use their answers to suggest the most suitable route for care. Patients may be directed towards a GP appointment, pharmacy, A&E, community service or self-care advice depending on their reported symptoms.
The rollout forms part of a wider £10bn investment in NHS technology, digital and data systems. The programme includes several AI-based tools designed to reduce administrative workloads for staff and improve how patients access services.
According to NHS England, the AI triage tool will adapt its questions based on a patient’s responses to build a clearer picture of their condition. It can then provide advice, suggest services or give clinicians information to help them prioritise appointments.
AI System Expands After Sussex GP Practice Trial
The NHS App update follows a trial at Wealden Ridge Medical Partnership in Sussex, where the technology was tested as a way to reduce demand on GP phone lines. The trial recorded a 29% reduction in the number of people waiting on the phone for an appointment, according to NHS England.
Dr Ragu Rajan, who works at the practice, said the system allowed patients to explain what they needed while helping staff focus their time where it was most needed. He said the technology had not replaced clinical judgement but had helped return time to healthcare professionals.
The new tool will initially reach more than 200,000 patients within 12 months and is expected to become available to all NHS App users by April 2028. Patients will still be able to contact their GP practice through traditional methods.
NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey said the tool would help patients reach the most suitable service first time, allowing clinicians to prioritise people who need GP appointments most urgently.
The wider digital programme also includes AI systems that record conversations between patients and NHS staff to create real-time transcripts and clinical summaries. These tools are being introduced in hospital appointments that do not require an overnight stay.
AI Note-Taking Tools Target Administrative Pressures
The NHS is also supporting a national rollout of ambient voice technology, which records consultations and creates clinical notes. According to a study led by Great Ormond Street Hospital, healthcare staff using the technology spent nearly 25% more time interacting with patients during trials.
The research examined the impact of AI note-taking tools across nine NHS sites in London. NHS England said that extending the technology to more than 11,000 A&E clinicians could create space for more than 9,000 additional emergency consultations each day.
The technology is being introduced across several NHS trusts, including St George’s, Epsom and St Helier, Croydon, and Kingston and Richmond. A pilot at St George’s Hospital in Tooting found that clinicians saved an average of 47 minutes per shift, allowing each staff member to see an additional patient during a shift.
Health organisations have also raised questions about the use of AI in healthcare. The Royal College of Nursing said patient safety, confidentiality and the role of healthcare professionals must remain central as these systems develop.
Pritesh Mistry from The King’s Fund said the investment could help improve how the NHS uses technology, while also warning that patients who are less confident with digital services must not be left behind.
The NHS says the wider digital changes will also include a Single Patient Record, online appointments through NHS Online, digital rehabilitation tools and improved cyber security measures to protect health data.
