Sue Ryder’s new partnership with Heidi, announced today, will bring clinical AI into its hospice and community services, allowing clinicians to spend more time with patients and families — including at the Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in Reading.
The five-year collaboration, supported by UK government funding, will give over 630 clinicians access to AI-powered scribing tools that automate clinical notes, letters, and forms. The initiative is one of the largest deployments of AI in UK hospice care to date.
Melanie Craig, Chief Operating Officer at Sue Ryder, said: “Palliative and end-of-life care clinicians are under huge pressure. Partnering with Heidi will give precious time back to the bedside, including for our teams in Reading, while modernising how we work across community services and inpatient settings.”
Heidi’s AI scribe, recently added to the NHS-approved Ambient Voice Technology list, is already used across 15 NHS trusts and supports around 1.5 million appointments per month. The technology will be gradually rolled out across Sue Ryder’s community teams, inpatient care, and bereavement services, starting in the coming months.
Dr Hannah Allen, Chief Medical Officer at Heidi, said: “Bringing ambient AI into hospice care at this scale is a significant moment for the sector. Our work with Sue Ryder in Reading and across the UK demonstrates that technology can protect the time and headspace clinicians need to deliver compassionate care.”
As part of the agreement, Heidi will also contribute £10,000 annually to support Sue Ryder’s fundraising initiatives and its RISE programme, which helps develop the next generation of clinical and creative talent in hospice care.
