AI physiotherapy clinic to roll out on NHS this year, makers say

The makers of an AI-physiotherapy clinic said the app will be rolled out in the NHS this year to cut waiting lists.

It was trialled in series of three-month pilot studies between May and December 2023 among more than 1,000 NHS staff with back pain self-referred to the ‘AI-powered clinic’ developed by Flok.

NHS Lothian, NHS Borders, Cambridge University Hospitals, and Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust took part in the pilots in which users have an initial video assessment with an AI physiotherapist to evaluate their symptoms. 

Those who are approved to continue automated treatment with the app then get a weekly AI video appointment with a ‘digital physio’, accessed at a time that suits them, the company said. 

Patients are prescribed exercises and pain management techniques through the app, as well as having monitoring of their symptoms and adjustment to treatments.

After six weekly appointments, staff in the pilots were given unlimited access to personalised sessions for several months to focus on prevention, Flok said. 

The evaluation has not been published but the company said 100% of surveyed patients said their experience had been at least equivalent to seeing a human physiotherapist, with 57% of patients saying they thought it was better than in-person care. 

In all, (86%) reported that their symptoms had improved during the AI-treatment programme the company said. 

The vast majority of participants were approved for treatment with the app once initial assessment was done, they added.

Patients with back pain could be referred by their GP or self-refer to the AI-option, taking pressure of NHS waiting lists, the company said. Flok ‘is set to be rolled out by early adopting NHS providers across the UK later this year’, it confirmed.

The founders said they had been approved by the CQC as a registered healthcare provider. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency confirmed to Pulse that as a class I medical device it does not require MHRA approval to be on the market but they must keep information up to date and accurate on the register.

Last year NICE recommended range of specific apps to help people manage low back pain.

The NHS Long Term Plan states that low back pain is the biggest cause of disability. Musculoskeletal conditions accounts for 30% of GP consultations annually and according to Public Health England there are 9 million people living with long-term back pain in England.

John Cowman, chief executive of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, said they recognised the potential utility of AI and the role it is likely to play in the healthcare of the future but there is still a long way to go before it can ‘truly replicate’ the clinical reasoning, emotional intelligence, and decision making a human physiotherapist is capable of.

‘The problem this service has been designed to tackle is waiting lists, which would be better addressed by growing the workforce and ensuring there are enough physiotherapists to meet population need.

‘Whilst this service has been shown to be useful for a cohort of patients, we don’t know what that means for the broader UK population, or how effective it is over time for people. We need much more data to understand its real impact.’

Alison MacDonald, executive nurse director at NHS Lothian, said: ‘Technological developments such as Flok have the potential to substantially improve the care and journey for some people with back pain by complimenting the range of healthcare services available.

‘We’re looking forward to continuing working with Flok to further understand and explore the potential for how we could integrate such technology with our current therapy provision.’

Finn Stevenson, co-Founder and CEO at Flok Health, said: ’11 million people suffer from back pain in the UK and 20% of us will visit our GP with a musculoskeletal problem each year. But it’s getting harder and harder for patients to access the physiotherapy they need. With NHS services stretched and wait times growing, thousands are waiting months for an initial appointment, leaving them in pain and often unable to continue their daily routines, such as going to work. Creating faster, more convenient access to physiotherapy services is vital to tackling this crisis. Harnessing new technologies, like AI, can help us unlock individualised treatment for thousands of patients, while reducing pressure on NHS services and freeing up capacity for treating those in need of in-person care. 

“We’re proud to be leading the charge on this at Flok. It has been incredible to see the positive impact that AI physiotherapy can have throughout our initial trials with NHS Lothian, NHS Borders, Cambridge University Hospitals and Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. We’re excited to be working closely with the NHS to develop this new technology and create a new care model for on-demand personalised treatment at population scale.”

Alison MacDonald, Executive Nurse Director, NHS Lothian, said: ‘Technological developments such as Flok have the potential to substantially improve the care and journey for some people with back pain by complimenting the range of healthcare services available. We’re looking forward to continuing working with Flok to further understand and explore the potential for how we could integrate such technology with our current therapy provision.’