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Almost a third of doctors say paperwork is fuelling burnout
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Over half of patients say admin means their doctor is too busy to focus on them
New research from healthtech innovator, Tandem Health, reveals the hidden pressures fuelling the five day NHS resident doctor strike, with patient care already under strain.
The Time to Care report, based on a national survey of UK clinicians and patients, shows that administrative overload is quietly eroding the quality of care and driving burnout. Almost two thirds (64%) of clinicians say paperwork harms the quality of patient interactions, and nearly half admit it reduces their focus during consultations. Close to a third (32%) link this burden directly to burnout – the same exhaustion now driving strike action.
Patients are seeing the effects too. More than half (56%) say their doctor is too busy with admin to give them their full attention, and one in four have discovered errors in their medical records, with 14% reporting that those mistakes affected their treatment.
“The public sees cancelled appointments and pay disputes, but what they don’t see is the daily reality behind it,” said Dr Ian Robertson, UK Director at Tandem Health. “Doctors are stuck in a system where hours vanish into typing, form filling, and chasing records. That hidden pressure is breaking care from the inside, and patients are feeling it.”
The research also points to a potential lifeline that is still underestimated and underused: AI powered “ambient scribe” technology, which securely captures and structures consultation notes in real time. Almost nine in ten clinicians (88%) believe these tools will become standard in the NHS within five years, and 77% of patients say they would support their use if it meant doctors could spend more time focusing on them.
“Tools like ambient AI scribes aren’t a silver bullet, but they could quietly give doctors something priceless: time back with patients,” added Ian. “If we want to ease the pressures that drive burnout and strikes, we need to start looking at solutions hiding in plain sight.”
As the NHS grapples with industrial unrest, rising clinical errors, and the long road to a “digital by default” future promised in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, Tandem Health’s findings highlight that reducing documentation overload isn’t a side issue – it’s fundamental to restoring trust, safety, and time in patient care.
