England’s first AI-run NHS physio clinic halves back pain waiting list

England’s first NHS physiotherapy clinic powered by AI has halved waiting lists for back pain and musculoskeletal care in a 12-week pilot scheme.

More than 2,500 patients across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough used Flok Health, an AI-enabled physiotherapy platform, from February this year.

The service, designed with video recordings of a real physiotherapist, offers same-day video consultations through an app, with automated responses tailored to patient information in real time.

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS trust said the pilot cut musculoskeletal waiting times – for conditions affecting joints, muscles and bones – by 44 per cent when used alongside other measures, including community assessment days.

For back pain alone, Flok reduced waiting lists by 55 per cent and saved 856 hours of clinician time each month, according to the company.

Before the pilot began, elective community musculoskeletal service waits in the area averaged around 18 weeks.

Finn Stevenson, co-founder and chief executive of Flok Health, said: “Seeing the impact our service has had in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, which is also where our team lives and works, has been incredibly meaningful.”

Anna-Marie Cooper, a patient from Cambridge referred to the clinic for back pain, said she was initially unsure about seeing an AI physiotherapist.

She said: “I have used private physiotherapy services in the past, but I found my experience with the AI physio as good as, if not better than any care I’ve received before.

“Flok’s service was so intuitive, and having the flexibility to schedule and rearrange appointments whenever I wanted really suited me.”

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) said that although AI holds potential for healthcare, it was concerned the technology could increase health inequalities for patients who couldn’t or didn’t want to access physiotherapy via an app.

John Cowman, chief executive of the CSP, said: “When tackling the problem of waiting times, it is important to address the root causes, one of which is the recruitment freezes currently stopping graduate physiotherapists from finding work in the NHS.

“We have a workforce ready to provide proven, safe care which will help cut waiting times and ensure people get the appointments they need.”

Following the pilot’s results, the trust plans to roll out the platform to other NHS trusts.