90% of NHS Staff Use AI in Healthcare, Survey Finds, as Administrative Burdens Drive Adoption

NHS Staff Embrace AI Tools to Combat Administrative Overload

A survey of 1,000 healthcare professionals working in the NHS found that 90% are now using AI in clinical work, marking a significant shift in how medical staff manage their daily responsibilities1

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. The research, conducted by Heidi, reveals that nearly two-thirds of healthcare professionals, 65%, have adopted AI to assist their workflow, with many driving this change independently rather than waiting for official mandates1

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. Among hospital doctors, pharmacists, and mental health workers, AI adoption reached an even higher 96%2

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. This widespread AI adoption in healthcare signals a fundamental transformation in how NHS staff approach their work, particularly as administrative burdens continue to escalate.

Rising Documentation Demands Fuel AI Adoption

The survey linked the surge in AI tools for work directly to managing administrative burdens, with 80% of respondents reporting increased admin tasks in recent years1

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. Increased documentation demands hit different specialties particularly hard, with 61% of nurses and 63% of pharmacists citing this as a major pressure point1

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. GPs face their own challenges, with 52% reporting added work tied to drafting referrals and letters2

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. The data shows 94% of NHS staff have either increased their AI use at work in the past year or maintained the same level, demonstrating sustained momentum in adoption1

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AI Handles Patient Follow-Ups and Documentation Tasks

Healthcare professionals are deploying AI across multiple workflow areas beyond basic documentation. The survey found 66% of respondents use AI for managing patient follow-ups, a task that traditionally consumes significant clinical time1

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. AI is also being used to draft referrals and clinical notes, streamlining processes that previously required manual effort and careful attention to detail2

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. Some healthcare professionals believe the technology is helping prolong careers by making unsustainable workloads more manageable1

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. Dr. Hannah Allen, Chief Medical Officer and GP at Heidi, stated: "These findings reflect what we hear every day from patients and clinicians. Patients are ready for this, and healthcare professionals have already made AI part of how they manage a workload that has grown well beyond what most would call sustainable"1

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Patient Privacy Concerns Persist Despite Governance Frameworks

While AI adoption accelerates, patient privacy concerns remain present among NHS staff. The survey found 35% of respondents were concerned about patient privacy when using AI tools1

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. To address these concerns, various NHS trusts have implemented policies for generative AI use, including the NHS AI Lab Code of Conduct, NHS England's Blueprint for AI in Health and Social Care, and Information Governance frameworks for handling patient data and sensitive information1

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. The findings suggest some AI use is happening regardless of official policies, raising questions about whether existing governance structures are keeping pace with grassroots adoption1

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. Watch for how NHS England refines its oversight approach as AI becomes embedded in clinical workflows, and whether standardized tools emerge to ensure consistent data protection across trusts.