Manchester trust to expand use of Microsoft’s AI tools

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust has announced that it is expanding the use of AI tools across its workforce.

Over the past 18 months, the trust has been working with Microsoft to explore how AI can support staff in their day-to-day work.

This has included deploying Dragon Copilot ambient voice technology (AVT) to hundreds of clinicians and providing around 1,500 Microsoft 365 Copilot licences to staff.

The next phase will increase the number of staff with access to Copilot and establish an ‘Agent Factory’ at the trust, enabling teams to design and implement AI tools to automate routine operational tasks across services.

Mark Cubbon, chief executive at Manchester University NHS FT, said: “Across the NHS we are all looking at how technology can support our workforce and help services run more effectively. For an organisation of our size and scale, the opportunity is significant.

“Our collaboration with Microsoft is about using AI to improve the way we work – streamlining administrative processes, reducing the potential for human error in some high-volume tasks, and reinvesting time and resources to support direct patient care.

“Agentic AI is an important part of this next phase, and our early HR pilots suggest these tools could reduce the time spent on some administrative tasks by up to half.

“What matters most is introducing the tools responsibly, with the right safeguards in place, and with clinicians and staff closely involved in how they are used.”

As part of an enterprise agreement spanning the next three years, Manchester University NHS FT will have an additional 6,500 Microsoft Copilot licenses each year, enabling access for all corporate staff, and approximately 1,600 frontline staff.

Teams will also be able to build and deploy AI agents to support processes across areas such as administration, finance and information governance, with  ‘human-in-the-loop’ protections in place.

AI agents are already supporting finance teams with forecasting and helping respond to common HR queries from staff, as well as supporting elements of the recruitment process.

Manchester University NHS FT is also investing in training and development to help staff build confidence in using AI-enabled tools and to ensure responsible rollout.

Darren Hardman, chief executive at Microsoft UK & Ireland, said: “The impact that Manchester University NHS FT has already seen from M365 Copilot and Dragon Copilot shows what’s possible when AI is put in the hands of busy healthcare teams. This is AI that gives time back.

“By expanding access and establishing an Agent Factory, Manchester University NHS FT is scaling those benefits responsibly across the trust so more colleagues can streamline routine work and focus on what matters most for patients.”

Meanwhile, there has been talk in the digital health community that NHS England is edging towards a national deal with Microsoft to roll out AVT.

However there has been no confirmation, with a Microsoft spokesperson telling Digital Health News earlier this month that the rumours are not accurate.