An AI predictive tool has been rolled out across the NHS to cut waiting times for A&E and support staff
Hospitals across England are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to ease pressure on accident and emergency departments, as a new AI-powered forecasting tool is used to help predict when demand will be greatest.
The system, now used in all 50 NHS organizations and available across all trusts, is designed to identify potential increases in A&E attendance days and weeks in advance. By analyzing a wide range of data, from historical hospital admissions and seasonal illness trends to Met Office temperature forecasts and day-of-the-week patterns, the tool helps managers plan staffing levels, bed capacity and facilities more effectively.
Ministers say the technology will enable patients to be seen and treated faster at peak times, while reducing last-minute pressure on frontline staff. The rollout comes as emergency departments face increased winter demand, driven by flu cases, cold weather injuries and seasonal illnesses. More than 18 million flu vaccines have already been delivered this fall, with the AI system continuing to learn from seasonal health data.
For NHS staff, the forecasting tool provides clear long-term planning and early warning of potential problems, helping trusts put the right people in the right place before pressures build. For patients, the goal is shorter waits and smoother journeys through emergency care during the busiest times of the year.
The program is part of the Premier’s AI Exemplars program, which uses artificial intelligence in all public services, including health, education, justice, tax and planning, to modernize programs and improve outcomes.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said AI is already transforming healthcare and that demand forecasting marks the next step in that journey. He said the tool would help hospitals predict stress points, get treatment faster and support NHS staff during the most challenging months of the year.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Zubir Ahmed, said that this technology will help hospitals manage the pressure of winter in an effective way, especially since the incidence of flu is increasing. He described the rollout as part of a wider ambition to move the NHS from analogue systems to a digital future under the government’s 10-year health plan.
Early feedback from NHS management has been positive, with local leaders reporting improved decision-making around staffing and capacity. Integrated care boards in areas including Coventry and Warwickshire, and Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes, are already using the tool to support performance planning.
The prediction program is one of several AI initiatives under the Exemplars program. Other projects include AI-assisted screening to help doctors diagnose conditions such as lung cancer faster, automated abortion summaries to speed up patient flow from wards, and a GOV.UK chatbot, which provides quick, simple English answers to public questions using official government information.
Ministers say the growing use of AI in healthcare is fundamental to building a stronger, more efficient NHS that can meet increased demand – particularly in winter – while improving both patient experience and staff wellbeing.
