Already trusted by more than 400,000 National Health Service patients to find information, check symptoms and make appointments, the Ask NHS app is now leveraging AI pioneer Sensely’s ground-breaking virtual assistant technologies to help users access physiotherapy and mental health resources as well during the continued COVID-19 pandemic.
In a pilot conducted by 18 NHS practices in Lewisham, 50,000 app users were able to book directly into their local Physio First Service without requiring a referral from their GP, and gain trusted advice and treatment from NHS physiotherapists. The upshot: a 3X increase in usage of physiotherapy resources, delivered without any additional burden on healthcare workers, and with a total saving of over 150 hours of clinicians’ time. In a recent survey, 87% of respondents found that consultations conducted over the phone were clear with 80% likely to recommend it to a friend or family member.
“As a First Contact Physio I found working with Sensely very useful. I have been able to advise the patient to use the application to book directly back into my diary for a follow up appointment should they need further advice or guidance. This has aided patient continuity whilst accessing the service,” said Ryan Bartlett, Clinical Development Manager at Pure Physiotherapy.
Mental Health
In-person mental health services have also been disrupted by the pandemic, even as the stress of the COVID-19 crisis has taken a toll on people’s mental health. Working in close collaboration with the NHS’s Healthy Minds program (IAPT), the Ask NHS app now leverages Sensely’s conversational AI technologies empowers patients to share their mental health concerns, surface online resources and to automatically connect them with local support services. Users can access Healthy Minds resources including online material, insomnia self-help tools, and one-on-one consultations, with more urgent cases triaged for support from human healthcare specialists.
“During the pandemic, we’re offering a range of talking therapies and support virtually for people experiencing common mental health difficulties such as depression and anxiety,” commented Healthy Minds, the Buckinghamshire IAPT service. “Working with Sensely ASK NHS has helped to ensure that people can be provided with the information and care they need quickly and easily.” said Kirsty Matthews, IAPT Team Manager at Healthy Minds.
“AI tools from Sensely empower Ask NHS users to self-manage their healthcare during the COVID-19 crisis, while reducing the risk of infection and easing the strain on hard-working doctors and nurses,” says Adam Odessky, Sensely’s CEO. “Now more than ever, we need to ensure that people can access the physiotherapy and mental health support they need — and the Ask NHS app is the easiest and quickest way for patients to take charge of their healthcare journey.”