‘Magic Notes’ AI tool saves social workers time on admin
Welfare services tech company Beam launches new AI tool that promises to save time spent by social workers on admin by more than 12 hours per week
Across the country, cash-strapped local authorities are struggling to address record waiting times in social care and ease the burden on staff. But now help is at hand with new technology developed by carers themselves.
Photo courtesy of Beam
After a successful pilot carried out in 28 local authorities, today sees the launch of an AI tool aimed at helping social workers and other frontline welfare staff to save time on admin – enabling them to focus attention on care.
In the pilot of ‘Magic Notes’, the tool cut the time social workers spent on such admin by an average of more than 12 hours per week. The company estimates that, on this basis, the tool could save UK social workers collectively some 7,500 years of time annually – and save taxpayers more than £2bn. Now that would be magic.
Magic Notes is the only AI solution for social workers designed by care experts, developed with frontline social workers in-house to make life and work easier.
Instead of making written notes, social workers use the tool to record their meetings with clients on a smartphone or laptop. Magic Notes then uses AI to create the paperwork staff need for follow up actions – which it emails to them. The tool also creates structured and compliant reports and case notes. See the example images below
Photos courtesy of Beam
The tech involved is based on a ‘human in the loop’ model, with human social workers required to review the AI-generated documents before submitting them. Social workers can make changes manually, with an option to use AI to speed up the editing process.
Magic Notes was first developed by Beam to support its own frontline teams working in welfare services, and benefits from the company’s expertise and experience in the sector. Beam’s co-founders are Seb Barker, who spent years working in drug rehabilitation, homelessness services and the NHS, and tech entrepreneur Alex Stephany.
In developing Magic Notes, Beam hired tech talent from leading US and UK tech companies such as Meta and Arm to help tailor safe and responsible AI tools for government services. The tool combines various large language models (LLMs) with Beam’s own domain experience and proprietary technology, which has been customised for frontline casework.
The tool was then co-developed with practitioners in pilots run with 28 local authorities, including Barnet, Camden, Ealing, Kingston, Neath Port Talbot, Oxfordshire, Peterborough and Swindon, ahead of this wider launch.
Grace Lynch, Director of Commissioning, Improvement and Assurance at Swindon Borough Council says: ‘Magic Notes exceeded my expectations in terms of accuracy, speed and staff satisfaction. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and there is a clear business case for using the tool. It has allowed our social workers to spend more time doing what they do best – supporting people, and means they spend less time at a keyboard.’
Claire Padget, a social worker for Croydon Council, adds: ‘Using Magic Notes, I feel more part of the conversation. I can make more eye contact and observe body language and facial expressions.’
Seb Barker, COO and Co-Founder of Beam says: ‘AI is transforming our lives and how we work. We believe those who dedicate their lives to supporting others deserve the best tools to do their jobs. It’s a win-win for frontline workers, people relying on services and taxpayers who fund them.
‘Magic Notes uses AI to make frontline social workers’ lives easier and more enjoyable: removing hours spent on admin to spend more time working with human beings. Less time scribbling notes: more time being present with people in need.
‘Magic Notes is an extension of Beam’s half decade track record in service delivery. We understand the value of safety – which is why the product meets the highest standards of data protection and information governance for local authorities. Empowering social workers is just the start: we see vast potential for AI tools to transform public services in the coming years.’
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