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AI, data & digital technology
An interactive online community to guide the future of ambient voice technology in health and care
Background
Ambient voice technology (AVT), also known as a “digital scribe” or “AI scribe,” is gaining momentum across the NHS. With its potential to ease the burden of clinical documentation and free up time for patient care, AVT is often seen as a promising innovation, featuring heavily in the NHS 10-year plan. But as excitement builds, so does the need for careful, evidence-based implementation.
To support this, THIS Institute is developing a dedicated online community where NHS staff, policymakers, and other non-commercial stakeholders can collaborate, share insights, and guide the implementation and evaluation of AVT across the NHS.
Approach
AVID (the ambient voice innovation and development community) is being built as a community of practice — a dynamic, peer-led network where members learn from each other through ongoing interaction. Unlike traditional working groups, communities of practice are bottom-up, adaptive, and inclusive. They bring together diverse voices, from clinicians and managers to researchers and policymakers.
This approach was inspired by NHS England’s April 2025 guidance on AI-enabled ambient scribing, which called for a national community to support shared learning and best practice.
AVID will support members to:
- Share experiences and best practices around AVT implementation
- Contribute to real-world piloting and evaluation
- Explore broader issues such as ethics, safety, and equity
Hosted on the Thiscovery platform, AVID will offer an intuitive, ad-free interface designed for collaboration.
Project team
