NHS trials chatbot service to reduce pressure

The NHS England is trialling the use of an artificial intelligence app across parts of London to test its effectiveness as a way for potential patients to find out how urgent their problems are.

More than 1.2 million people living in Camden, Islington, Enfield and Barnet will be able to use a ‘chatbot’ as an alternative to the non-emergency 111 number.

The trial, due to run for six months, will allow people to enter their symptoms into the app and receive responses based on a large database of symptoms and illnesses.

It is hoped that the chatbox device will help alleviate pressure on A&E units across the UK, which are overrun with people suffering from minor injuries and delaying those with more urgent care needs from accessing help.

However, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chairman of the British Medical Association's GP committee, told the Telegraph that the AI initiative could add to the pressure on hospitals rather than reduce it.

He said: ”Owing to the lack of input from a trained professional, this simplistic system could, like NHS 111, result in more people being sent to overstretched GP or A&E services who don't actually need treatment – or, conversely, serious conditions being missed.”