Swindon Borough Council has successfully completed a ground-breaking trial using artificial intelligence (AI) to transform its Adult Social Care services, enabling social workers to focus more on the people they support by significantly reducing administrative tasks.
The local authority has partnered with Beam, a social enterprise dedicated to supporting frontline workers through technology. The AI tool, Magic Notes, has been trialled within the Adult Social Care department and has led to a remarkable 63 per cent reduction in the time spent on assessments and case notes.
Magic Notes works by recording conversations between social workers and their clients, generating detailed and accurate assessments automatically. Over the course of the trial, which took place between April and July 2024, 19 social workers and a leadership support officer tested the tool across 184 frontline meetings, including Care Act Assessments and Mental Capacity Assessments.
By freeing up valuable time, social workers have been able to focus more on person-centred care, a vital requirement of the Care Act 2014. The trial has also shown how AI can foster inclusivity in the workplace, particularly for colleagues with learning difficulties, visual impairments, or for whom English is a second language. One social worker commented: “I’m dyslexic – I’m much more productive with Magic Notes. It helps my thoughts flow better and reduces anxiety.”
The pilot revealed some impressive results, with the time taken to complete a Care Act Assessment dropping from 1 hour 30 minutes to just 35 minutes. Writing up these assessments now takes only 1 hour 30 minutes, down from 4 hours previously.
Swindon Borough Council’s success with Magic Notes has not gone unnoticed. Councillor Ray Ballman, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, praised the trial: “Magic Notes has been a game-changer for our Adult Social Care team. By cutting down on admin, our social workers have been able to focus more on meaningful conversations with those they support. The feedback has been excellent, and we’re now considering how we can further leverage this technology to enhance the quality of care we deliver.”
With such promising results, the Council has now secured a six-month contract with Beam to continue using Magic Notes, and hopes to further improve services for those who need them most.
