The NHS and UK doctors are set to benefit from ground-breaking artificial intelligence technology designed to transform the way doctors interact with patients, reducing medical errors, cutting administrative burdens, and making thousands of additional appointments available.
Tandem Health has launched its advanced “clinician co-pilot” in the UK. This AI medical scribe automatically generates drafts of highly accurate clinical notes during patient consultations. By removing the documentation burden, doctors can focus entirely on their patients, improving the quality of care and reducing the likelihood of errors in recording key medical details.
The launch comes as the NHS embarks on the world’s largest trial of AI-powered breast cancer diagnosis. While AI in medical diagnostics is gaining traction, the scribe addresses a more immediate and widespread challenge – the administrative overload faced by clinicians.
Currently, doctors spend up to 40% of their working hours on administrative tasks, taking valuable time away from patient interactions. Alleviating this burden, clinicians can save one to two hours per day – in trials, 50% of users reporting 60% time-savings. As a result, clinicians can dedicate more time to engaged, compassionate care.
Beyond administrative burdens, incomplete or inaccurate documentation is widely recognized as a factor that can contribute to miscommunication and delays in treatment. By ensuring that every detail of a consultation is captured accurately, the AI-generated notes reduce the risk of omissions and errors that could compromise patient safety. With seamless integration into leading electronic health record (EHR) systems and automatically stored data, this eliminates the need for manual transcription and reduces the risk of lost or misinterpreted information.
Administrative overload is also a leading cause of clinician burnout. Studies show that 60% of clinicians cite documentation as a top stressor, contributing to workforce shortages and reduced job satisfaction. By eliminating hours of repetitive administrative work each day, the technology helps to reduce stress, enabling doctors to focus on delivering higher-quality patient care.
Dr. Michael Lacey, General Practitioner at NHS and early adopter of the technology, shared: “I used to spend about 15 minutes per patient doing my notes. Now, with Tandem, I’ve got it down to less than 5 minutes.”
Tandem Health’s launch in the UK follows successful adoption across Europe, where healthcare providers report significant time savings and reduced clinician burnout. A recent pilot study with one of Sweden’s largest healthcare groups found that every participating doctor wanted to continue using the AI scribe, citing improved patient engagement and lower stress levels.
We believe AI should empower doctors, not replace them. Our AI medical scribe is designed to be a seamless, clinician-first tool that gives doctors time back to do what they do best – delivering high-quality care. The growing burden of administrative work has been a significant challenge for clinicians, contributing to burnout and reducing the time available for direct patient interaction."
Dr. Katie Baker, Director, UK & Ireland, Tandem Health
“By deploying AI that seamlessly integrates into existing workflows, we are not just enhancing efficiency but ensuring that doctors can focus on what truly matters – improving patient outcomes. We’re excited to bring this technology to healthcare providers across the UK, working in partnership with medical professionals to transform patient care across the UK.”
As the UK faces increasing demand for healthcare services alongside workforce shortages, NHS leaders and policymakers are recognizing AI’s potential to address systemic inefficiencies, improve clinician productivity, and enhance patient safety. As challenges persist, AI scribes could be a vital tool for meeting rising patient demand while ensuring the resilience of the healthcare system.
Medicare patients with cancer often receive aggressive treatment over supportive care