Faster treatments and support for health workers as AI tackles A&E bottlenecks

• Hospitals using AI to improve planning and tackle bottlenecks in A&E departments as government delivers NHS fit for the future
• Forecasting tool in use across 50 NHS organisations speeding up treatment times for patients
• Latest milestone for the Prime Minister's AI Exemplars programme, using AI to improve lives and modernise services across health, justice, tax and planning.

Patients could be seen quicker this winter as hospitals across England increasingly use artificial intelligence to help predict when A&E departments will be busiest.

The A&E demand forecasting tool highlights how the government is using cutting edge and emerging technologies to modernise public services and drive national renewal. Available to all NHS Trusts, it is already in use by 50 NHS organisations - helping them plan how many people are likely to need emergency care and treatment on any given day. 

For NHS staff, this means smarter planning for shifts and bed space in the long-term, reducing last-minute pressure thanks to clearer forecasts which spot potential bottlenecks. For patients, it will ultimately mean shorter waiting times during busy periods - ensuring people get the care they need more quickly.

This winter has already seen record flu cases putting additional pressure on emergency departments, while Christmas typically adds to this pressure with festive challenges such as icy falls and other seasonal illnesses. 

More than 18 million flu vaccines have been delivered this autumn hundreds of thousands more than the same point last year. With the tool being constantly trained on seasonal health data, it will help to spot surges in demand for health services before they happen - giving hospitals the opportunity to put staff in the right place at the right time. 

The tool uses this data to highlight regular pinch points where demand is likely to be higher across the course of the year. That includes a wide range of areas, from Met Office temperature forecasts and hospital admissions through to which days of the week are busier than others. This data then produces forecasts for the coming days and weeks which hospitals can use to more effectively manage resources. 

It forms part of the Prime Minister's AI Exemplars programme – putting AI to use to improve public services, modernise outdated systems, and drive the national renewal hardworking people deserve. This will make the services people interact with smarter, more efficient, and fit for the modern age.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said:

AI is already improving healthcare by speeding up diagnosis and unlocking new treatments. Now we are going a step further.

By helping to predict demand, this AI forecasting tool is getting patients the care they need faster while supporting our incredible NHS staff.

That means easing pressure by ensuring the NHS is at the forefront of the latest technology during the busiest time of year.

Health Innovation Minister Dr Zubir Ahmed said:

The AI revolution is here and we are arming our NHS staff with the latest technology to help slash A&E waits for patients this busy winter period.

Innovations like these will help hospitals manage winter pressure and prioritise resources over the coming months as we continue to battle a tidal wave of flu.

This is part of our 10 Year Health Plan to shift healthcare from analogue to digital as we build an NHS that is fit for the future.

Early feedback from staff has been positive. Hospital managers have praised its impact in supporting them to make better decisions about staffing and capacity, meaning patients can then move through the system more efficiently. 

Local NHS organisations using the tool include NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board, as well as NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board.

The announcement is part of the government's commitment to building an NHS fit for the future by embracing technology and innovation to improve patient care and outcomes.

The AI Exemplars programme is already delivering improvements across the board, including:

The Education Content Store: This pools government documents including curriculum guidance, lesson plans and anonymised pupil assessments so AIcompanies can train their tools to generate accurate, high-quality content. The content, such as tailored, creative lesson plans and workbooks, can then be reliably used in schools – freeing teachers up from admin so they can spend more time in front of the whiteboard.

AI Diagnostics: This provides tools to support clinicians to identify conditions such as lung cancer from scans, helping diagnose patients more quickly and reducing the diagnostic backlog.

AI Assisted Discharge summaries: This will help patients get home to family and off busy wards more quickly, with AI used to help write the documents that are needed to discharge people from hospital. Clinicians retain final control and approval over content.

GOV.UK chat: This is an AI-powered chatbot that provides a new way for the public to interact with government. GOV.UK Chat takes a user's question and, using relevant GOV.UK pages, generates an instant answer, the way users would write or speak in everyday life.

Notes to editors

The Prime Minister's AI Exemplars programme explores practical applications of artificial intelligence in government and public services.

The A&E demand forecasting tool analyses historical data and patterns to predict patient attendance at emergency departments.

The tool is currently available to all NHS trusts in England, with 170 active users across 50 organisations each month.

The tool is available through the NHS Federated Data Platform.