AI triage to cut NHS waiting lists by 70%

Sword Intelligence has launched in the UK and Europe to bring AI-led care operations to healthcare providers facing sustained pressure from growing waiting lists and constrained capacity. The company, a spin-off from digital health provider Sword Health, applies artificial intelligence to large-scale care operations, including triage, care coordination, outreach, scheduling and follow-up. By automating non-clinical workflows, it helps hospitals reduce administrative burden, improve efficiency and lower costs, enabling faster access for patients and a better overall healthcare experience across initial engagement, enrolment and care coordination. 

In Greece, Sword Intelligence is now supporting the development of one of Europe's first AI-powered healthcare "front doors" for a population of around 10 million citizens, integrating AI into triage and care coordination with the aim of expanding clinical capacity and improving response times at national scale. 

Research from Sword underlines the potential for expanding patient access in the NHS by using AI to support high-volume, non-clinical work. AI enables an enhanced patient experience through immediate answering of all inbound calls, alongside widescale improvements in workforce productivity: a fourfold increase in operational capacity without increasing headcount and up to one hour saved daily per care coordinator. In musculoskeletal care, the company reports a 70% reduction in community waiting lists and a 90% reduction in time to start care. These capabilities are backed by 43 published clinical papers and more than 40 patents relating to digital care delivery. 

Dr Mark Ratnarajah

Image credit: Sword Intelligence 

In the UK, Sword Health already works across 20 NHS Trusts in five ICB regions, enabling community-based digitally enabled care pathways in musculoskeletal care, pain management, women's health, mental health and surgical prehabilitation. 

A dedicated UK-based leadership team has been established to accelerate engagement with NHS organisations. Dr. Mark Ratnarajah, Clinical Director of Special Operations, said: "AI dominates conferences and board conversations, but real impact is achieved at the operational level. Sword Intelligence focuses on applying responsible AI to the most pressing challenges facing the NHS – particularly access and waiting lists – at scale. Rather than selling limited point solutions, we work with health systems to build exactly what they need, grounded in how care is actually delivered." 

Selina Sachar, Head of Partnerships, added: "With large-scale projects underway in Europe, UK healthcare providers are engaging with us to understand how we can co-create practical solutions to their most persistent bottlenecks. There is a significant opportunity to apply AI in areas of UK healthcare that have so far been underserved by technology." 

Source: Sword Intelligence 

25.02.2026

• AI (825)
• digitisation (96)
• musculoskeletal (122)
• patient management (287)