The ‘Digital Dictation, Speech Recognition and Outsourced Transcription 2'  framework agreement provides NHS and wider public sector organisations with streamlined access to proven, scalable technologies that address immediate operational pressures whilst supporting long-term digital transformation.

It also establishes a future-ready pathway for adopting emerging innovations like ambient voice technology (AVT) and AI-enabled scribing tools, solutions that will be incorporated into the framework agreement as they become market-ready, subject to validation and compliance with NHS standards.

The framework agreement offers NHS and wider public sector organisations a clear, compliant, and quick means to procure technologies from pre-vetted suppliers, helping organisations to meet immediate operational needs while preparing for the next wave of innovation.

Solutions include both on-site and cloud-based SaaS platforms, covering software, hardware, integration, training, consultancy, and support. Vendors can expand their offerings as innovative technologies emerge.

Phillip Wood, principal category manager – digital workforce and IT transformation at NHS SBS, said: ‘Our framework agreement is a strategic enabler for the NHS and wider public sector, offering digital dictation, speech recognition and outsourced transcription solutions that directly support operational efficiency.

‘Current tools remain essential components of clinical documentation workflows, delivering proven, scalable solutions that support day-to-day service delivery. As AVT and AI-enabled scribing tools continue to evolve, they are set to complement established systems.

‘Together, these technologies form a layered approach to digital transformation, enabling healthcare providers and organisations to match the right tool to the right task whilst maintaining flexibility, accuracy and efficiency across clinical and wider administrative settings.'