Digital Health Unplugged: Rolling Out the FDP and AVT at Scale

Why It Matters

By delivering faster, safer digital workflows and establishing trustworthy AI standards, the NHS can improve patient outcomes while containing costs, positioning the public health system as a leader in health‑tech innovation.

Key Takeaways

• NHS trusts prioritize fixing basic IT infrastructure before AI adoption
• Accelerated EPR rollout moved UHL/UHN to NHS digital median
• Ambient voice technology improves clinician efficiency and patient communication
• Rigorous safety evaluation and EuroTrain membership ensure trustworthy AI use
• Federated Data Platform unifies disparate systems, boosting theatre productivity

Summary

The Digital Health Unplugged episode captured at Digital Health Rewired 2026 highlighted how University Hospitals Leicester (UHL) and University Hospitals Northampton (UHN) are scaling two cornerstone initiatives – a Federated Data Platform (FDP) and Ambient Voice Technology (AVT) – across thousands of clinicians.

Will Monahan outlined a three‑pillar digital strategy: first, ‘fix the basics’ by stabilising networks and login times; second, accelerate electronic patient record (EPR) deployment to lift the trusts from the bottom 20 % to the NHS median in digital maturity; third, invest in emerging technologies such as AI and AVT to leapfrog peers. The AVT contract with Acurx now serves 400 clinicians, with plans for 10,000, and promises faster note‑taking and same‑day patient letters.

Monahan emphasized that clinicians prefer tools that reduce, not add, workload – a sentiment echoed when patients receive discharge letters before leaving the clinic. He also noted that safety is managed through a ‘human‑in‑the‑loop’ model, rigorous safety cases, and participation in the EuroTrain network, which provides an external quality mark for AI deployments.

If successful, the combined FDP and AVT rollout could cut administrative overhead, improve theatre scheduling, and strengthen public trust in AI‑driven care, offering a replicable blueprint for other NHS organisations seeking rapid, safe digital transformation.

Original Description

This episode of Digital Health Unplugged, recorded on day two of Rewired 2026, focuses on rolling out the federated data platform (FDP) and ambient voice technology (AVT) at scale in Leicester and Northamptonshire.

Host Jordan Sollof is joined by Will Monaghan, group chief digital information officer (CDIO) at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) and University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group (UHN).

Monaghan discusses being the first organisation to roll out the FDP at scale and the key benefits seen so far, whilst also addressing the controversy around US supplier Palantir and making it clear that the platform is not for everyone.

He also discusses the recent roll out of a large ambient AI contract from Accurx across UHL and UHN and how it is benefitting staff and patients before highlighting the benefits of being a part of the European Trustworthy and Responsible AI Network (TRAIN).

The group CDIO then gives his thoughts on whether it is a realistic ambition for the NHS 10 year health plan to put a lot of faith in digital to increase frontline productivity and outlines the key digital goals for UHN and UHL over the coming months.

Guest:

Will Monaghan, Group CDIO at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group