NHS 24 has partnered with Microsoft to launch a chatbot called Ave to give the public access to information and support about Coronavirus.

The bot, which was launched on the NHS Inform website, is hosted on Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform, and has responded to more than 40,000 queries in its first 30 days.

Ave uses clinically-approved information from NHS Inform to provide accurate, up-to-date facts about the virus, as well as help and support if people have symptoms or need specific services such as mental health.

The service has been developed with the support of numerous organisations, including Cancer Central, Twilio, Capgemini and Baker Mackenzie.

As Scotland’s national provider of telephone and digital based services, NHS 24 has been at the forefront of providing information and care for people worried about Coronavirus.

Louise Bennie, NHS 24’s head of digital, said: “It’s been a great experience working with such a diverse and talented group of people, all focused on delivering this option to people with questions about Coronavirus."

As part of Scotland’s Digital First strategy, information on how to access NHS Inform and where Ave is hosted is displayed at the Scottish First Minister’s daily briefings on Coronavirus.

Alongside the bot, NHS 24 has developed a live webchat service that allows users to speak to a trained contact centre employee about their query. Ave quickly directs users to the webchat if it cannot answer a complex question.

Faith La Grange, director of local and regional government at Microsoft UK, said: “Chatbot technologies like Ave can ensure that healthcare services continue to provide crucial and timely support to those who need it, helping save time, improving individual experience and crucially, assisting staff in delivering the best possible patient care in such unusual times."

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