The dictation tool, which has been developed in partnership with Microsoft, automatically transcribes clinicians' notes during consults and provides AI-generated summaries.
Community-based staff, such as district nurses, will also benefit from documenting patient interactions in real time via mobile devices—even offline. Rather than relying on handwritten notes and manually inputting information after their visits.
The tool also improves accessibility for those who might find it difficult to manually write notes and documents, for example, those for whom English is not their first language or people with dyslexia.
It is predicted that the software will save an average of three minutes per case note, collectively freeing up 1.2 million days of clinical time annually across the Rio user community. And as a recent Health Foundation report showed, these types of time savings from technology can improve job satisfaction, reduce burnout, and enhance overall well-being.
The release of the AI-powered dictation software, registered as a Class 1 Medical Device with MHRA, is timely given the recent government announcement to ‘make AI every nurse’s and doctor’s trusted assistant’ as part of the NHS 10-Year Plan.
James Woolard, CCIO at Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This collaboration represents a significant step in reducing the administrative burden on our staff.
“By leveraging AI, we aim to improve the experience for both clinicians and patients, allowing our teams to dedicate more time to delivering high-quality care.
“The insights from this pilot will play a crucial role in shaping the future of electronic patient records and transforming how we operate as a trust.
“By achieving these efficiencies, we can redirect resources to support quality improvement initiatives across our services.”
Ben Rigg, Director of Digital at Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are proud to partner with Access on this Smart Notes pilot. This collaboration will allow us to deliver more timely care while maintaining the highest standards of quality.
“By streamlining workflows and reducing administrative burden, we are not only improving patient care but also fostering a healthier work-life balance for our staff. This partnership represents a shared commitment to leveraging technology to create a more effective, sustainable, and supportive healthcare system.”
With a secure, ring-fenced AI model, the patient data in Access Rio is safeguarded and not used for external training, providing clinicians with confidence in the privacy and security of their data.
Alan Payne, Group Product & Engineering Director for Access HSC, commented: "We’re proud to be working closely with NHS trusts to explore how AI can support frontline teams and enhance patient care.
“These rollouts will streamline workflows and empower clinicians, allowing them to focus on providing exceptional care.
“This expansion aligns with the government's vision for digital health transformation, with AI playing a key role in supporting community-based care and improving operational efficiency throughout the NHS.
“With ethical AI at the core of this transformation, we’re committed to making technology work for healthcare professionals rather than replacing them.”
Following this initial implementation, a wider rollout is planned across the trusts, including a pilot of Explanation of Benefits (EOB) – a feature designed to give clinicians clear, easy-to-understand summaries of how AI has reached its recommendations, helping them make informed decisions with confidence.
END NOTES
The Smart Notes App meets NHS regulatory requirements for AI summarisation, including being registered as a Class 1 Medical Device with MHRA. MHRA Reference Number 35279.