NHS Deploys AI to Reduce Emergency Room Overcrowding

New initiatives aim to identify and support frequent A&E visitors to prevent repeat hospital visits and ease winter pressures.

The NHS is using AI-driven systems to identify patients who frequently visit A&E and provide them with targeted preventative care.
Over 360,000 patients in England visit A&E more than five times annually, often due to chronic conditions, social isolation, or mental health challenges.
High Intensity Use (HIU) services, now implemented in 125 A&E departments, have reduced repeat visits by up to 50% in some areas through personalized support.
Programs include assigning dedicated workers to address patients' social, practical, and emotional needs, with notable successes in South Tees and Wolverhampton hospitals.
Health officials emphasize these measures as critical to alleviating NHS pressures during the busiest winter season on record, while addressing health inequalities.