NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) has collaborated with Salesforce to introduce an innovative AI-driven digital help center aimed at enhancing finance and procurement support throughout the NHS.
This new platform, named SBS One, is a key component of NHS SBS's broader strategy to modernize its finance and procurement services. Utilizing Salesforce’s Agentforce 360 for Public Sector, it integrates self-service tools, automation, and AI agents to assist NHS staff and suppliers with various queries related to finance and procurement.
NHS SBS, which manages approximately £395 billion of NHS funding annually, aims to improve user access to support while alleviating the administrative load on frontline teams. According to John Murphy, head of customer excellence at NHS SBS, the platform has exceeded service expectations, with most queries now resolved within 24 hours, significantly enhancing operational efficiency.
The platform features a digital help center that allows real-time tracking and resolution of invoice queries. A conversational AI assistant, “Agent Murphy,” employs natural language processing to handle routine inquiries and direct complex issues to specialized teams. With 84% of customer queries initiated through this digital platform, NHS SBS reports a 20% reduction in average handling times and a dramatic decrease in the time required to raise a query.
This initiative represents a significant advancement in the use of AI within public services, with plans for further AI integration across various service areas. Zahra Bahrololoumi, CEO of Salesforce UKI, emphasized that this partnership not only optimizes workflows but also enhances fiscal capacity and supply chain resilience, showcasing the tangible economic benefits of trusted AI in public service operations.