Dora calls patients waiting for cataract surgery, speaks to them in a natural voice and gathers medical history. Dora is also capable of offering patients a choice of treatment locations based on waiting times and distance from their home.

The system has made more than 1,200 calls to patients since January 2024, which has freed up many hours of nursing time who previously made the calls.

Aris Konstantopoulos, consultant ophthalmologist at University Hospital Southampton and ophthalmology clinical lead for NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, said: ‘All hospitals in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have made massive strides in reducing the waits for cataract surgery in the area. Dora has enabled this by allowing us to develop a single point of access for referrals, reducing the burden of administrative processes and providing clear options to patients.

'Using Dora has also allowed us to free-up time for our nursing teams to concentrate on more surgical work while Dora makes the phone calls and completes the administration duty.'

A Dora patient experience survey from July to December 2024 showed that 92% of patients were extremely satisfied with the experience.

‘We have had some great feedback from patients who have said that Dora is very clear and easy to understand. She also engages and interacts with patients and can understand what they are saying and asking,' added Konstantopoulos.