We are pleased to have introduced robotics software into our Outpatients department in a move that is speeding up processes and giving our staff more time to focus on patient care and experience.

The Robotics Process Automation (RPA) project removes the need for tedious, repetitive actions to be carried out manually by our staff. As a result, we are providing faster access to treatment for patients, who have faced extended waiting time in getting appointments due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In Outpatients, the software has been used to extract referrals from the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS), in which patients can be referred by a GP or self-refer online.

The use of robotics to automate the extraction of e-Referrals has been hailed a “game changer” by the Outpatients department, and we hope to roll it out to other areas in our hospitals soon.

Julia Doe, Head of Patient Administration, said: “In Outpatients, we were spending almost 3,000 hours a year extracting these e-Referrals, so the introduction of RPA is a game changer for us.

“We’re looking forward to automating a number of other processes which currently take up resources that can be better utilised in improving patient care.”

Claire Leigh, Service Support Manager, added: “I am extremely proud that Outpatients has taken on the first Robotics Process Automation in the Trust.

“I have seen already the positive impact this has had on my team, and have no doubt this will be the first of many RPAs in the Trust, completely overhauling the way we work.”

The robotics programme is being led by Adam Souris, our Associate Director for Workforce Control Improvement Programme.

He said: “The implementation of robotics in Outpatients is a fantastic example of cross-functional multi-disciplinary teams working together to drive improvements in the way we deliver our services.

“From the initial proposal to the delivery of automation, the team has been enthusiastic and committed in supporting the project.

“In the first two weeks, the robots have successfully processed more than 2,300 referrals, saving over 200 hours of Trust time. Because the robots are operating 24 hours a day, the team is able to respond quicker to patient demand. It is exciting to see the benefit that robotics can bring to our patients and we look forward to utilising automation across the Trust.”