Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust is trialling an AI-assisted tool to identify patients ready for discharge to free up beds.
The government has announced the development of an AI-assisted tool at Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust to speed up the discharge process from hospital.
“This is exactly the kind of change we need – AI being used to give doctors, probation officers and other key workers more time to focus on delivering better outcomes and speeding up vital services,” said technology secretary Peter Kyle.
As part of the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP) programme, the Trust is using AI and data tools to improve the way patients move through our hospitals – from admission to discharge. This includes automatically identifying patients ready for discharge to free up beds, matching last-minute outpatient slots with patients who can attend at short notice, and reducing paperwork, freeing up staff time for direct patient care.
“This potentially transformational discharge tool is a prime example of how we’re shifting from analogue to digital as part of our 10 Year Health Plan,” said health and social care secretary Wes Streeting.
“We’re using cutting-edge technology to build an NHS fit for the future and tackle the hospital backlogs that have left too many people waiting too long. Doctors will spend less time on paperwork and more time with patients, getting people home to their families faster and freeing up beds for those who need them most,” he continued.
As Rob Hendry, medical director and chief member officer at Medical Protection Society, put it, “the UK government’s desire to turbocharge AI in healthcare has been clear from the outset”, and the greater use of AI was one of the government’s “three key shifts” announced in its 10 Year Health Plan in July.
