Oracle Health has rolled out its AI-powered clinical scribe across three major NHS hospital systems after completing a successful pilot program. The ambient voice technology automatically generates clinical notes during patient appointments, freeing up doctors to focus on care rather than paperwork.
Barts Health NHS Trust, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, and Milton Keynes University Hospital are now deploying the system organization-wide. The move comes as the NHS seeks digital tools that can reduce waiting times and give healthcare workers more time with patients.
How does it work?
Doctors download an app on their phone and place it near the patient during consultations. The AI agent records the conversation and strips out irrelevant chat, focusing only on information related to diagnosis and treatment.
“Clinicians download the app on their phone and place it near the patient to record the conversation,” explains Sarah Jensen, group chief informatics officer at Barts Health. “The AI agent will strip out any chat that is not relevant to diagnosis or treatment.”
The system produces comprehensive clinical notes automatically, with patients receiving their doctor’s letters at the end of visits. When other clinicians see the same patient, they can generate notes immediately so the entire care team knows the treatment plan within minutes.
Why does it matter?
Healthcare workers spend enormous amounts of time on documentation, reducing face-to-face time with patients. The AI scribe addresses this burden directly while improving care coordination.
“Our clinicians can focus on engaging with the patient, knowing that comprehensive and robust notes will be taken,” says Dr. Sanjay Gautama, chief clinical information officer at Imperial College Healthcare Trust NHS. Early users report significant time savings and improved accuracy.
Dr. Robin Kearney, a consultant at Milton Keynes University Hospital, notes practical benefits: “It’s improved the accuracy of my notes and given me a lot of time back. Plus, if another clinician sees the patient, they can write a note immediately so everyone else in the team will know within a few minutes what the plan is for the patient.”
The context
This deployment is part of Oracle’s broader $5 billion cloud investment commitment to the UK over five years, supporting the nation’s Fit for the Future 10-Year Health Plan. The company positions this as addressing global healthcare workforce shortages and clinician burnout.
The NHS has been actively seeking AI-powered documentation solutions. Last year, NHS Shared Business Services announced a framework agreement running through September 2027 for AI-driven dictation, speech recognition, and transcription services across NHS England and public sector organizations.
“The healthcare industry is grappling with workforce shortages and overloaded clinicians on a global scale,” says Seema Verma, Oracle Health’s executive vice president. “Bringing these capabilities to the NHS is a key part of our commitment to help empower their doctors, so they can deliver exceptional care.”