NHS AI revolution - Microsoft Copilot delivers time and cost wins

The National Health Service (NHS) has taken a decisive step into the future of digital healthcare with the world’s largest artificial intelligence (AI) trial in a public health system. A collaboration between Microsoft and NHS England, the trial has demonstrated the transformative power of AI in streamlining administrative workloads and freeing up staff time for direct patient care.

Over 30,000 NHS staff across 90 organisations took part in the groundbreaking pilot of Microsoft 365 Copilot, a generative AI tool integrated across everyday Microsoft applications such as Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The results have been extraordinary: 43 minutes saved per staff member per day, equivalent to five working weeks per year.

If rolled out fully, this could equate to a staggering 400,000 hours saved every month, or millions of hours every year, translating directly into improved productivity, enhanced staff wellbeing, and better patient outcomes.

In this blog, Dr Richard Dune explores how this innovative trial is redefining efficiency, governance, and the human experience within modern healthcare.

From bureaucracy to bedside - AI-driven efficiency

The NHS has long faced challenges linked to administrative overload, with staff often spending valuable time on nonclinical tasks. The introduction of AI-powered administrative support through Microsoft 365 Copilot marks a major shift toward greater efficiency and smarter working.

By summarising lengthy email threads, drafting meeting notes, generating reports, and managing schedules, Copilot helps clinicians and administrators focus on what truly matters - patient care.

According to the Department of Health and Social Care, in 2025, the NHS currently conducts over one million Teams meetings per month, where note-taking alone consumes tens of thousands of hours. With Copilot, 83333 hours in meeting notes and 13200 hours in task management could be saved every month. Another 271000 hours could be recovered from summarising complex email chains, showing the real impact of artificial intelligence on administrative efficiency.

A productivity breakthrough for a modern NHS

The productivity gains revealed by this trial are not just incremental. They represent a step change in how healthcare systems can leverage digital innovation to deliver more for less.

Between April 2024 and March 2025, NHS productivity in acute trusts grew by 2.7%, surpassing the government’s 2% annual target set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The integration of AI and data-driven systems has been instrumental in achieving these results, particularly in elective care, outpatient reform, and urgent and emergency care.

Health Innovation Minister, Dr Zubir Ahmed MP, highlighted the significance of this achievement:

“As an NHS surgeon and clinician, I know how frustrating it can be to be held up by archaic technology that makes day-to-day tasks painstakingly long.

This partnership with Microsoft will help free up staff from spending time on admin so they can focus on what they want to be doing - treating patients. Innovations like this will help drive NHS productivity so patients can get the treatment they need sooner and there is better value for taxpayers. We’re making sure every pound is spent on cutting waiting times and boosting care through our Plan for Change.”

Dr Ahmed’s remarks reflect a central tenet of the government’s strategy: to modernise the NHS through smart investment in digital tools that maximise value for money while improving patient access and outcomes.

Cost savings on a national scale

Beyond the time savings, the financial implications of this AI transformation are monumental. With 100,000 users, the NHS estimates that the Microsoft Copilot rollout could save millions of pounds each month, potentially scaling to hundreds of millions annually.

These savings could be reinvested directly into patient care, funding frontline services, reducing waiting lists, and supporting workforce development.

Darren Hardman, CEO of Microsoft UK and Ireland, emphasised the long-term vision:

“This major trial proves the extraordinary potential of AI to transform healthcare. By reducing admin and giving healthcare workers back a reported 43 minutes every day, Microsoft 365 Copilot can help the NHS redirect hundreds of thousands of hours each month towards patient care and potentially save hundreds of millions of pounds every year.

We’re proud to support the NHS in this digital transformation, which shows how AI can reduce time-consuming admin for NHS workers and so improve the quality of patient care.”

This collaboration between Microsoft and the NHS exemplifies how strategic partnerships can drive digital transformation at scale, leveraging technology not as an end in itself, but as a catalyst for systemic improvement.

Towards a digitally empowered workforce

The success of this trial underscores the importance of digital literacy and staff empowerment in healthcare. As the NHS undergoes the largest digital transformation in its history, staff must be equipped with the skills, confidence, and training to use new technologies effectively.

This is where organisations like The Mandatory Training Group play a crucial role. Through our CPD-accredited digital skills and governance training programmes, we support healthcare professionals in adapting to technological change safely, efficiently, and in line with regulatory requirements.

AI will never replace the human touch that defines care, but it can empower staff to deliver that care more efficiently, compassionately, and sustainably. By reducing burnout, improving workflow, and enhancing communication, digital tools like Microsoft Copilot can contribute to a more resilient and future-ready NHS workforce.

Implications for the wider health and social care sector

The lessons from this NHS AI trial extend beyond the boundaries of the health service. Across the social care, private healthcare, and community support sectors, providers face similar pressures, including rising administrative demands, workforce shortages, and the need for greater accountability and regulatory compliance.

AI technologies, when deployed ethically and responsibly, can help these organisations achieve similar gains in efficiency and quality. Integrating tools like Copilot within learning management systems, training management systems, and compliance platforms can enable care providers to streamline audits, monitor governance performance, and improve regulatory readiness.

As regulators such as the CQC and Ofsted continue to emphasise evidence-based governance and digital maturity, the strategic adoption of AI will likely become a key differentiator between providers that merely comply and those that lead.

Conclusion

The NHS Microsoft 365 Copilot trial is more than a technological milestone. It is a signal of what becomes possible when innovation meets purpose. By freeing up hundreds of thousands of staff hours, enhancing productivity, and delivering substantial financial savings, artificial intelligence is helping to reshape the foundations of healthcare delivery.

For health and social care providers across the United Kingdom, this marks the beginning of a new digital era, one where technology amplifies rather than replaces human care.

About The Mandatory Training Group

The Mandatory Training Group is a leading UK provider of CPD-accredited training, compliance management, and governance solutions for health and social care organisations. Through our integrated ComplyPlus™ Software, we help providers manage regulatory compliance, policies, audits, and workforce training in one secure digital platform.

Our goal is simple: to empower organisations to achieve excellence in care, through effective governance, digital compliance systems, and continuous professional development.

Reference

HM Government (2025) - Major NHS AI trial delivers unprecedented time and cost savings.