Microsoft launches ambient AI assistant to the NHS

Microsoft has announced the launch of its AI assistant to the NHS which captures clinical conversations to draft documentation and automate follow-up tasks. It follows the publication of a major NHS study which found that AI-scribing technology can reduce clinician workload while improving patient care, with potential to unlock £834 million a year if rolled out nationally. Dragon Copilot has been tested in the UK and Ireland as part of a preview programme with seven healthcare organisations and more than 200 clinicians, covering a range of clinical specialties and over 10,000 consultations. Dr Henry Morriss, emergency physician and director of clinical informatics at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, who has been helping to test the system, said: “The main benefit of using ambient voice is simply that it takes your voice and your relationship with the patient, and delivers it in a method you can easily see and edit.” Dragon Copilot, which is certified by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, blends Dragon Medical One natural language voice dictation with the ambient listening capabilities of Dragon Ambient eXperience Copilot with the aim of easing admin pressure, improving the quality of clinician–patient interactions, and supporting safer care. Dr Peter‑Marc Fortune, chief medical information officer at the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, said that clinical AI assistants “should reduce the burden of ensuring that [clinicians are] capturing everything, so they can actually focus on the interaction with the patient.” In a recent Microsoft-commissioned report, 40% of patients surveyed reported having a consultation where they felt the clinician was too focused on their screen to provide their full attention. Jacob West, managing director, healthcare & life sciences at Microsoft UK, said: “Dragon Copilot is transforming the healthcare landscape by assisting with time-consuming administrative tasks – such as documentation, referrals, and after-visit summaries – freeing up valuable time for patient care. “By streamlining workflows and embedding into electronic patient records, Dragon Copilot not only boosts operational efficiency, it also supports clinician well-being, retention, and care quality. “It’s an important component in the effort to build a more resilient and compassionate healthcare system across the NHS and beyond.” The use of AI scribing technology is a key part of the NHS 10 year health plan, published on 3 July 2025, and government guidance, published in April 2025, encourages NHS clinicians to use generative AI to transcribe patient consultations. However the British Medical Association has advised that GPs should pause the use of AI scribing tools unless they have carried out data protection and safety checks, following a letter from Dr Alec Price-Forbes, national chief clinical information officer at NHSE, warning about using the technology without safeguards. Key players in the AI-scribing space include TORTUS, which is being rolled out by Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Heidi Health, which has been adopted by a GP surgery in Jersey, and Accurx, which has partnered with Tandem Health to launch an AI scribing tool across the NHS.