Unlocking Ambient Voice Technology
Establishing a leading support and knowledge hub for AVT adoption in the South West
in 2025-26
Over 10 partners, pilot and implementation sites supported
Over 500 system staff now trained
20-25% reduction in documentation time and increase in patient-facing time
Unlocking AVT: Our work in partnership
AVT (Ambient Voice Technology) is an early-stage programme exploring how voice-enabled and ambient digital tools can support healthcare delivery.
Our work is currently in a formative phase, focused on understanding the landscape, engaging partners, and testing early ideas.
We are establishing a centralised leadership and knowledge function for AVT, as a trusted support hub for AVT adoption across the South West.
Our current focus includes:
- Understanding current and emerging use of ambient voice technology in healthcare
- Bringing together perspectives from across the system
- Identifying early learning from implementation activity and discussion
- Supporting shared understanding of opportunities and challenges.
Our impact so far
- Built relationships with major AVT providers
- Supported over 10 partner organisations via our AVT knowledge hub
- Advised or assured 5-7 regional pilot or implementation sites
- Trained or supported over 500 system staff
- Reduced documentation time by 20-25% (GOSH benchmark)
- Increased patient-facing time by 20-25% (GOSH benchmark)
To help inform our early-stage work, we delivered a workshop in early 2026 with our Peninsula Research and Innovation Partnership: Unlocking AVT for Scalable NHS Change.
The event brought together clinicians, NHS partners and suppliers to explore the implementation of ambient voice technology in clinical settings, with sessions covering early implementation experience, regional readiness support, digital clinical safety, local examples of adoption, and patient perspectives, alongside breakout discussions on opportunities, barriers and next steps across primary care, secondary care and mental health. Exhibitors included organisations in the ambient voice technology space such as Heidi, Tortus, Accurx Scribe and Anathem.
What’s next?
Our work will continue to evolve as the understanding and potential of AVT develops for health and care services.
This year we are working in partnership with NHS England South West, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and AVT provider Tortus on a national leading project in neonatal care.
Keep up-to-date with the latest news here on our website or via LinkedIn.
Learn more
To find out more about our work within AVT, please contact Mark Procter, Head of Digital, Data & AI.
