‘Ada’ automation system improves paediatric referral processing

Cambridge Community Services (CCS) NHS Trust has implemented an automation system to improve the efficiency of paediatric referrals across Bedfordshire and Luton.

The trust partnered with NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) and UiPath to develop the ‘Ada’ digital tool, with the aim of streamlining referrals, reducing administrative stress and improving patient outcomes.

Ada, which is built on UiPath’s automation platform, went live at the trust in April 2025 and now processes 240 referrals each month.

It is able to read incoming referrals from GPs and other professionals, and automatically input the data they contain into CCS’s downstream system.

Mark Crannage, associate director of business, information and digital systems at CCS NHS Trust, said: “The team see Ada as part of the workforce. She has a backstory, and she’s been welcomed with open arms.

“NHS SBS have been brilliant. They’ve listened to us; they’ve bought into the concept.

“We see the NHS SBS team as part of our team, not a third party. I can’t tell you how much of a positive impact that has.”

By automating data extraction, validation and input, Ada, also standardises referral handling across the trust, ensuring it is compliant with referral protocols.

When triggered, Ada automatically sends Conner’s Assessment questionnaires to parents, carers, teachers and other professionals when recognising the presence of ADHD in children over five-years-old.

It also sends real-time notifications to referrers to let them know that their referral has been processed.

Since Ada was introduced, the trust says that the processing time for each referral has reduced from 40 minutes to less than five minutes, saving 116 staff hours per month which is in turn enabling more focus on frontline patient care.

The risk of error rates has also reduced from 10% to less than 1% and referral acknowledgments are now sent within 12 hours compared with 48 hours previously.

If service levels can be maintained without increased headcount, CCS NHS Trust projects cash savings of circa £16,000 per year.