A project at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) piloting AI patient consultation transcription tool CLEARnotes has been nominated in the national HSJ Digital Awards 2025 in the Supporting elective recovery through digital category.
Nurses within pre-operative settings at ELHT have been trialling the technology, allowing them to see more patients and engage more meaningfully during patient consultations.
As part of an NHS England pilot, the trust was supported to introduce the tool, which automatically converts consultant-patient conversations into structured electronic patient notes – reducing paperwork while ensuring consistency in medical records.
The six-month project, which started in September 2024, saw the trust successfully deploy CLEARnotes while ensuring robust information governance and safety protocols were followed.
Feedback from ELHT’s deployment of CLEARnotes has helped to refine the tool and improve its usability. It is now being rolled out more widely as part of the NHS England programme, helping to ease the admin burden on clinical staff, unlock productivity and improve patient experience across the NHS.
Dr Domnic Sebastian, Divisional Medical Director for Surgery and Anaesthetics, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are incredibly honoured to be shortlisted for the HSJ Digital Awards. This recognition reflects the dedication and hard work of our pre-operative nursing team, as well as the invaluable collaboration between our staff and the CLEARnotes team.
“CLEARnotes was introduced with a clear goal: to support our clinical teams to reduce administrative burdens, allowing them to focus more on direct patient care. As a result, our nurses have been able to spend more meaningful time with patients, improving both patient and staff satisfaction while enhancing care outcomes. Additionally, the tool has streamlined documentation within our EPR system, helping us reclaim valuable clinical time, reduce stress, and ultimately deliver better care to our patients.”
Consultations using CLEARnotes are 20% shorter, while long pre-operative consultations are nearly eliminated because clinicians are focusing on patient need rather than navigating the electronic patient record structures.
The tool can boost productivity initially by as much 10% while cutting waiting times and improving patient experience. Beyond improving efficiency, the AI-generated notes enhances consistency in medical records, ultimately benefiting the entire healthcare system.
CLEARnotes has been designed by 33n – a clinically-led organisation that aims to improve productivity and efficiency across the NHS.
Dr John Jeans, Chief Executive, 33n, said: “East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust has trailblazed AI adoption, leading the way with the first deployment of CLEARnotes. Being shortlisted for these awards is testament to the dedication of clinicians on the ground—especially the trust’s pre-operative nurses, who have embraced this technology and provided invaluable feedback to refine the tool.
“The team’s commitment has not only released capacity and enhanced patient care locally but is also helping to shape the future of AI in the NHS and beyond.”
The HSJ Digital Awards shine a light on teams and organisations driving meaningful change through technology, improving patient outcomes, streamlining processes, and enhancing the overall quality of care.
The winners will be revealed at the HSJ Digital Awards ceremony on 26 June 2025, a night dedicated to celebrating the brightest minds and most impactful projects in digital health.
