AI physio app shortlisted for three national HSJ awards

Cambridgeshire Community Services and Flok Health have been shortlisted for three national HSJ awards for an AI-powered digital physiotherapy service that provides same-day back pain assessment and treatment via a smartphone app.

The project has received recognition at the HSJ Partnership Awards 2026 in two categories. These are the Primary and Community Care Project of the Year and Best Contribution to Improving the Efficiency of NHS Services. It has also been shortlisted at the HSJ Digital Awards 2026 in the Driving Change through AI and Automation category.

Digital physiotherapy

The service focuses on musculoskeletal care, with an initial emphasis on back pain. It uses a smartphone app. Patients receive a personalised assessment and treatment plan on the same day, according to the organisations.

Cambridgeshire Community Services said the model represented the first large-scale deployment of the technology in England. The organisations said a team of physiotherapy and AI specialists based in Cambridge created the digital clinic.

The digital clinic uses video footage of a human physiotherapist. The service presents the experience as similar to a video call with a physiotherapist, the organisations said.

Regulatory status

The organisations said the service is the first digital MSK service approved by the Care Quality Commission. They also said it has certification as a medical device under Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency regulations.

Cambridgeshire Community Services deployed the service in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough in February 2025. The trust described itself as the first NHS organisation in England to make Flok's AI clinic available across a range of community healthcare settings. The rollout covered both self-referred and clinician-referred patients.

Pilot figures

The organisations provided data from a 12-week pilot that ran between the beginning of February and the end of May 2025. They said more than 2,500 people accessed the service over that period.

The pilot cut overall MSK waiting times by 44%, the organisations said. They also reported a 55% reduction in back pain waiting lists.

Cambridgeshire Community Services and Flok said the digital clinic saved hundreds of clinician hours each month. They said most patients were triaged, treated and discharged through the digital pathway.

Expansion plans

The organisations said they plan to offer more digital clinics in the future. They said the approach would expand access across a wider population.

They did not provide details on additional locations, timelines, or the conditions that would be covered beyond back pain.

Cambridgeshire Community Services provides community health services across several areas, including Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and Bedfordshire and Luton, with specialist services including dental healthcare and musculoskeletal physiotherapy. Flok Health was founded in 2022 by Finn Stevenson and Ric da Silva.

"We are extremely proud to be shortlisted across several national HSJ categories. This recognition reflects the creativity, commitment and clinical leadership of our teams and our partners at Flok Health. Introducing same-day AI-powered physiotherapy has reduced back pain waiting lists by more than 50% and released vital capacity for patients with more complex needs. It shows how innovation can deliver real benefits for patients and for the NHS," said Mike Passfield, Deputy Director, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust.

Finn Stevenson, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Flok Health, also highlighted the partnership and the results from the rollout.

"We are very proud to see this collaboration recognised nationally across multiple HSJ categories. It reflects the strength of our partnership with Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust and our shared commitment to delivering meaningful improvements for patients. Together, we have shown that AI can deliver high-quality musculoskeletal care, improve access for patients and release capacity for those who need face-to-face treatment most. We are excited to continue building on this success in the years ahead," said Stevenson.

HSJ will announce the winners of the HSJ Partnership Awards 2026 at a ceremony in London, and it will announce the winners of the HSJ Digital Awards 2026 at a ceremony in Birmingham.