AWS re:Invent 2025 - AI, Cloud & Public Sector Transformation: PwC & AWS Driving Change Now (AIM115)

Transforming Public Sector with AWS: PwC and NHS Case Study

Overview

This presentation showcases how PwC and the UK's National Health Service (NHS) leveraged AWS technologies to drive significant improvements in citizen experience and operational efficiency within the public sector. The key focus areas include:

1. Addressing the challenges faced by the NHS, the largest employer in Europe, in meeting growing healthcare demands with limited resources.
2. Applying learnings from PwC's successful implementation of AWS solutions in local government to the NHS context.
3. Deploying AWS services such as Amazon Connect, Amazon Lex, and AWS Lambda to automate and enhance the NHS contact center operations.
4. Achieving tangible business outcomes, including reduced wait times, improved patient engagement, and cost savings.
5. Outlining the future roadmap for scaling these solutions across the NHS and exploring additional use cases.

The NHS Landscape and Challenges

• The NHS is the largest employer in Europe, with millions of people working for the organization.
• However, the NHS faces significant challenges in meeting the healthcare demands of the population, with 10% of the population on waiting lists for access to care.
• The complex and outdated technology landscape within the NHS, with limited use of digital, AI, and cloud technologies, contributes to the poor citizen experience.
• Factors such as long wait times, high call volumes, and frustrated patients negatively impact the reputation of the NHS, despite it being the most trusted institution in the UK.

Learnings from Local Government Implementations

• PwC's previous work with Amazon Connect in local government councils provided valuable insights that were applied to the NHS context.
• Key learnings include:
  • The ability to deploy solutions quickly, with Amazon Connect implemented in 10-15 days for a full contact center migration.
  • The reusability of components, allowing for fast deployment across different industries.
  • The importance of modernizing quickly to meet increasing citizen expectations and financial constraints.

Addressing NHS Challenges with AWS Solutions

• Nicola, a representative from the Medway NHS Trust, highlighted the specific challenges faced by the organization, including:
  • Extremely long wait times for routine appointments, with patients waiting up to a year.
  • Significant challenges in patient engagement, especially in deprived areas with low health literacy.
  • High call volumes to the contact center, with 50% of calls going unanswered, leading to frustrated patients and staff.
• To address these issues, the Medway NHS Trust partnered with PwC and AWS to implement a solution leveraging the following technologies:
  • Amazon Connect for the contact center
  • Amazon Lex for natural language processing and conversational AI
  • AWS Lambda for integrating with backend systems and automating workflows

Outcomes and Business Impact

• The implementation of the AWS-powered solution at the Medway NHS Trust resulted in the following key outcomes:
  • 80% of calls were automated, reducing the burden on contact center staff.
  • Did-not-attend (DNA) rates for appointments decreased by 4%, a significant improvement.
  • Patient feedback transformed from negative to highly positive, with patients appreciating the improved accessibility and responsiveness.
  • Tens of thousands of patient minutes were saved per month due to the automated and 24/7 availability of the contact center.
  • The solution was deployed in just 6 weeks, demonstrating the rapid implementation capabilities.
• The success of the Medway NHS Trust implementation has led to the solution being replicated in multiple other NHS organizations, showcasing its scalability and replicability.

Future Roadmap and Expansion

• The Medway NHS Trust is exploring further expansion and scaling of the AWS-powered solutions, including:
  • Extending the contact center automation to support other services, such as prisons and cancer care.
  • Exploring the use of AWS services for automating back-office functions, such as HR and finance, to drive additional efficiencies.
  • Integrating more clinical services, such as pre-operative questionnaires, to further relieve the burden on clinical staff.
• PwC and AWS are also exploring the use of more advanced technologies, such as voice-to-voice conversational AI, to enhance the customer experience while maintaining the operational benefits.
• The goal is to continue leveraging the scalability and flexibility of the AWS platform to drive transformative change across the NHS and the broader public sector.

Key Takeaways

• The NHS, the largest employer in Europe, faces significant challenges in meeting growing healthcare demands with limited resources, leading to poor citizen experience.
• PwC and the Medway NHS Trust successfully leveraged AWS technologies, including Amazon Connect, Amazon Lex, and AWS Lambda, to automate and enhance the contact center operations.
• The implementation resulted in tangible business outcomes, such as reduced wait times, improved patient engagement, and significant cost savings.
• The rapid deployment (6 weeks) and replicability of the solution across multiple NHS organizations demonstrate the scalability and adaptability of the AWS-powered approach.
• The future roadmap includes expanding the use of these solutions to other NHS services, automating back-office functions, and integrating more clinical services to drive further transformation.
• The partnership between PwC and AWS showcases the power of leveraging cloud technologies to drive meaningful change in the public sector.