Bedside robots could do swathes of the work now done by doctors and nurses, saving the NHS almost £13bn a year - a tenth of its budget - a major report says today.

The controversial study led by surgeon and former health minister Lord Darzi calls for the “full automation” of health and social services, claiming it would give staff “time to care” for patients.

Almost one third of the tasks now done by nurses, and nearly one quarter of that done by hospital doctors could be done by robots and artificial intelligence systems, it says.

And the widespread use of such methods could save the NHS almost 10 per cent of its annual running costs, the report says, while “carebots” in homes and care homes could take on 30 per cent of the workload now done by humans.

The research, due out next week [June 19], follows calls from the Health and Social Care Secretary for an expected cash boost to be focussed on a “technological revolution” across the NHS, transforming the way it deals with pressures on it.

Jeremy Hunt has said he expects Theresa May to announce a “significant” investment in the health service, backed by a 10-year-plan, but has said funds must be used to change the way services are delivered.