NHS rolls out Microsoft 365 Copilot to 505,000 staff, saving 2 days/month
AI saves 43 minutes per staff per day, freeing 5 weeks annually for patient care.
NHS England has announced a major AI deployment: 505,000 clinicians and support staff will receive Microsoft 365 Copilot to reduce administrative burdens. The decision follows the largest healthcare AI trial globally, involving 30,000 NHS workers across 90 organisations, which revealed an average saving of 43 minutes per staff member per day — equivalent to nearly 5 weeks per person annually. This could free up millions of hours each month across the health service.
Copilot assists with drafting patient letters, managing discharge processes, rota building, bed management, and core services like HR and finance. Each trust will get around 2,000 licences initially, with full rollout expected by October 2026. NHS leaders believe the tool will boost productivity, cut waiting times, and allow staff to spend more time on direct patient care, aligning with the government's 10-year health plan.
- 505,000 NHS staff get Microsoft 365 Copilot, saving 43 minutes per person daily
- Trial across 90 NHS organisations with 30,000 workers showed 2 days/month saved per staff
- Rollout to be completed by October 2026, starting with ~2,000 licences per trust
Why It Matters
AI frees clinical staff for patient care, cutting admin time and improving NHS productivity.