Faster treatments and support for health workers as AI tackles A&E bottlenecks
Published: 28 December 2025
Hospitals across England are using an AI demand forecasting tool to predict pressure in A&E and plan resources with more accuracy. It's available to all NHS Trusts and already has 170 active users across 50 organisations each month via the NHS Federated Data Platform.
The goal is simple: reduce bottlenecks, shorten waits, and support staff during the busiest weeks of the year. It's a practical step toward an NHS that can plan ahead instead of firefighting on the day.
Why this matters for government teams
Clear forecasts help shift managers make smarter calls on staffing, beds, and patient flow. That means fewer last-minute escalations and faster movement through the system during winter pressures.
This season has seen record flu levels and seasonal risks like icy falls. More than 18 million flu vaccines were delivered this autumn, yet A&E demand still spikes. Better forecasting gives leaders time to put people where they're needed most.
How the tool works
The model analyses historical trends and live inputs to forecast likely A&E demand for the coming days and weeks. It factors in variables such as temperature forecasts, admission patterns, and day-of-week effects to highlight pinch points before they surface.
Hospitals use these projections to plan rosters, open the right capacity at the right time, and reduce handover delays. The tool is continually trained on seasonal data to sharpen performance as conditions change.
Early results and adoption
Initial feedback from hospital leaders is positive. The tool is helping teams make earlier, clearer decisions about staffing and capacity, so patients move through care faster.
Local adopters include NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board and NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board.
Leaders' view
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall: "AI is already improving healthcare by speeding up diagnosis and unlocking new treatments. Now we are going a step further. By helping to predict demand, this AI forecasting tool is getting patients the care they need faster while supporting our incredible NHS staff."
Health Innovation Minister Dr Zubir Ahmed: "We are arming our NHS staff with the latest technology to help slash A&E waits this busy winter period. Innovations like these will help hospitals manage winter pressure and prioritise resources as we continue to battle a tidal wave of flu."
Part of the Prime Minister's AI Exemplars programme
This deployment sits within a wider programme to modernise core public services across health, justice, tax, and planning. The objective: use practical AI to improve services people rely on every day.
Related initiatives already delivering
- The Education Content Store: A shared library of curriculum guidance, lesson plans and anonymised assessments that enables AI tools to generate reliable classroom resources-giving teachers more time for teaching.
- AI Diagnostics: Support for clinicians identifying conditions such as lung cancer from scans, helping reduce backlogs and speed up treatment decisions.
- AI-Assisted Discharge Summaries: Drafting support to help clinicians produce essential discharge documents faster. Clinicians keep full control over final content.
- GOV.UK Chat: An AI assistant that uses relevant GOV.UK pages to answer public queries in plain English.
For operational leaders: immediate actions
- Confirm access via the NHS Federated Data Platform and identify your local owner.
- Set up a weekly review rhythm to align rota planning, bed management, and escalation triggers with forecast outputs.
- Define thresholds (e.g., forecasted arrivals, ambulance handover risk) that auto-trigger staffing moves or opening additional capacity.
- Capture feedback from A&E, site, and flow teams to refine how forecasts translate into on-the-ground actions.
Key facts
- Scope: Tool available to all NHS trusts in England.
- Usage: 170 active users across 50 organisations monthly.
- Purpose: Predict daily A&E demand using historic data and seasonal drivers to reduce waits and pressure on staff.
Notes to editors
The A&E demand forecasting tool analyses historical attendance data and related patterns to predict patient arrivals at emergency departments. It is available through the NHS Federated Data Platform.
DSIT media enquiries
Email: press@dsit.gov.uk
Phone: 020 7215 3000
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm
Upskilling your team
If you're building AI capability across a department or trust, these curated resources can help teams get practical, job-specific skills: AI courses by job role.
Your membership also unlocks:
