AI Revolutionises Adult Services in Ealing, Boosting Efficiency and Reducing Wait Times
Ealing Council’s adult services team has significantly enhanced its efficiency by integrating the AI tool Magic Notes, which has helped reduce paperwork and free up 44% of staff time. The tool, developed by Beam, generates concise, accurate notes from face-to-face meetings, records practitioner visits, and supports planning activities. This innovation has led to more interactive, person-centred assessments, improving the overall experience for service users and carers.
The positive impact of the AI tool is backed by a recent review from the Local Government Association (LGA), which found that the council has made substantial progress in reducing waiting times for assessments. The LGA’s report also praised the significant improvements made over the past two years, noting that the average wait time now stands at 124 days, with a maximum of 200 days.
Ealing Council has transformed its adult services with the help of a groundbreaking AI tool, Magic Notes, leading to more time spent helping individuals and a more efficient assessment process.
“AI is revolutionising our public services and putting more money in people’s back pockets,” said Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose recent ‘AI opportunities action plan’ aligns with Ealing’s innovative use of technology to improve public services.
“We are already working the lessons learned from the inspection into our plans for the coming year, but I am pleased to say that the overall report was very positive.”
- Councillor Polly Knewstub
Councillor Polly Knewstub, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for healthy equal lives, expressed pride in the positive results, stating, “We are already working the lessons learned from the inspection into our plans for the coming year, but I am pleased to say that the overall report was very positive.”
The LGA’s review highlights Ealing Council’s commitment to transformation and improvement, aligning with national goals to utilise AI for better service delivery and efficiency.
Protestor ordered to pay £7,500 for breaching safe zone
A 73-year-old protestor from Carmarthen, Wales, has been ordered to pay over £7,500 after violating a designated safe zone outside a reproductive health clinic in Ealing. Stephen Green was ordered to pay £7,536.50 in prosecution costs after his appeal against a conviction for breaching a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) was dismissed at Isleworth Crown Court on January 15, 2024.
Green had initially received a £100 fixed penalty notice (FPN) in March 2023 for failing to comply with the PSPO, which was introduced by Ealing Council in 2018. The PSPO created a safe zone around the MSI Reproductive Choices clinic in Mattock Lane, designed to protect visitors from pro-life/pro-choice protests. It also designated an area for protesters to express their views while respecting the privacy of clinic users. Green ignored the designated protest area during his protest on February 6, 2023, when he carried a sign with a religious verse: “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.”
After failing to pay the fixed penalty, Green’s case was taken to Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court, where he was handed a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £2,426 in costs. He appealed the decision on October 30, 2024, but the judge upheld the conviction, ordering Green to pay additional prosecution costs.
Councillor Jasbir Anand, Ealing’s cabinet member for tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, welcomed the court’s decision, emphasising that the Mattock Lane Safe Zone protects women from harassment and intimidation while accessing reproductive services. Louise McCudden, advocacy lead at MSI Reproductive Choices UK, also supported the ruling, highlighting the importance of the safe zone for ensuring clients and healthcare workers can access confidential care without interference.
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