Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met with staff members from Ealing Council on Tuesday (4 February) to talk about how the council is using artificial intelligence (AI) help provide better social care.
At a reception at 10 Downing Street, Sir Keir met with social worker Joanna James, council leader Peter Mason and chief executive Tony Clements, to discuss how a new AI tool has helped the council’s adult social services team spend more time with the people it helps by slashing the amount of time staff spent on paperwork.
In autumn, more than 100 social workers started to use Magic Notes, by Beam. After a period of using it, the council found the AI tool had cut social workers’ admin time by 44%, freeing up more hours for frontline care and allowing staff to spend more one-to-one time with residents. An independent evaluation subsequently found it had even made a slightly bigger difference, with more like 50% of staff members’ time saved.
Magic Notes produces concise and accurate notes from face-to-face meetings, records practitioner visits and assessments, and reviews and supports their planning activities.
Feedback from carers and staff has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting that the assessment process is now more interactive and person-centred, leading to a better experience.
‘The best moment of my life’
After the event this week, social worker Joanna said: “I was thrilled to be given the once-in-a lifetime opportunity to visit 10 Downing Street and meet the Prime Minister. It was so inspiring to learn from everyone there. I felt truly honoured, humbled and happy to meet the Prime Minister as a social worker, representing the vital work we do to support and empower our communities. It was the best moment of my life.
“I got into social work to support people and the AI tool has helped me and the team really focus on that part of the job by cutting down the time I spend doing paperwork. It gives me useful prompts and frees up so much time that I’m much better placed to support the people I care for. It’s hard to imagine my job without it now.
“Seeing in-person the leaders and public figures I had only watched on TV – and having the opportunity to shake hands with them – was a surreal and unforgettable experience. To stand in 10 Dowing Street and celebrate the wonders of homegrown AI start-up and business was a truly proud moment for me as a social worker.”
‘Unleashed huge benefits’
Councillor Mason said: “I spoke with the Prime Minister about the enormous efficiency gains our adult social care team has seen from using AI. On average our social workers regain 44% of their time.
“This means less time sitting at desks filling out paperwork and vastly more time spent with people. It has unleashed huge benefits for us, our staff and most importantly the service users.
“In our borough, we are continuing to test and learn with AI to unlock not only greater productivity but also growth. With the correct application, the right safeguards and the bravery to try, we can continue to secure modern and effective public services that work to meet the modern expectations of our residents, and at the same time secure a more productive, efficient and happy workforce.”
Celebrating AI innovation
The reception at 10 Downing Street was used an opportunity to celebrate how AI is used in the UK, and was also attended by entrepreneurs, investors, academics, ministers, other local government leaders and frontline staff who are using AI. The event followed the publication of the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan last month, which laid out ambitions to place the UK as a global leader in AI and revolutionise public services.
The council’s innovative use of AI was highlighted in recent review of its adult social services team by the Local Government Association, which carried out a 2-year assessment of the team.
Beam has been helping to provide frontline services for more than 7 years.
Alex Stephany, founder and CEO of Beam, said: “The Prime Minister sees the potential for new technologies to radically overhaul the public sector at all levels and it’s great to have his support as we work to get this technology into the hands of every frontline worker in the UK.”
Photo by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street
