An NHS Trust has started using robots to make routine referrals as part of a drive to cut costs and boost efficiency.

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) is testing the ability of new artificial intelligence technology to conduct administrative work, such as submitting scan and blood test results from GPs to hospital consultants. It claims the system is eight times more productive than using human staff.

The system has been in operation at Ipswich Hospital for the past three months and has saved staff more than 570 hours of work. The Trust claims the system will save them £220,000 in the next 9 months.

“If you can train a human to do it, these robots will be able to do it too,” said Darren Atkins, who is deputy head of ICT at ESNEFT.

"Already one virtual worker can provide the same output as eight agency workers."

The five AI workers that ESNEF is using carry out the hospital’s admin work by mimicking the keyboard and mouse clicks on the Trust’s computers, thus allowing them to carry out tasks like a normal staff member.

The system, made by British tech company Thoughtonomy, currently carries out tasks on the hospital’s GP Electronic Referral Service, where patient data is collected and sent to the relevant consultant for assessment.