AI Moves Into the NHS Mainstream

Tandem Health expands its AI scribe via Accurx, giving NHS clinicians new tools to cut paperwork and strengthen digital records

20 Feb 2026

Artificial intelligence is no longer confined to quiet pilot schemes in hospital corridors. It is moving firmly into everyday clinical life across the NHS, marking a decisive shift in how care is delivered and recorded.

Tandem Health has expanded its ambient AI scribe across the health service through a partnership with Accurx, a communications platform already embedded in NHS workflows. The collaboration places automated documentation support within reach of hundreds of thousands of clinicians, making it one of the most accessible AI deployments by clinician reach to date.

For years, doctors have struggled under mounting administrative demands. Electronic health records, while essential, have added layers of documentation that often stretch consultations late into the evening. The strain contributes to burnout, staffing pressures, and longer waits for patients seeking care.

Tandem’s AI scribe aims to ease that burden. By listening to consultations and generating structured medical notes in real time, the system reduces time spent typing while keeping clinicians firmly in control of final sign off. Notes flow directly into existing record systems, minimizing disruption to established routines.

The partnership with Accurx has proved pivotal. Because the platform is already woven into NHS infrastructure, the rollout avoids many of the procurement and integration delays that slow public sector technology projects. Access expands rapidly without requiring hospitals to rip out or replace core systems.

The impact may stretch well beyond saving time. Structured, consistent records strengthen the foundations for clinical decision support and improve long term data quality. In a health service that is increasingly data driven, reliable information has become a strategic asset for research, service planning, and personalized treatment.

Oversight remains central. NHS England has issued guidance on ambient voice tools, emphasizing consent, data protection, validation, and accountability. The message is clear: innovation can proceed, but not without guardrails.

Challenges persist, and clinicians must scrutinize AI generated notes carefully to prevent error. Yet the direction of travel is unmistakable. Targeted AI, embedded into daily workflows, is becoming less of an experiment and more of a standard feature in consultation rooms across Britain and beyond.