Meet Veda, our new virtual assistant

We’re trialling a new virtual assistant called Veda to help with common enquiries about the Trust and our services. If you’ve got a quick question, have a chat with Veda and see how it can help you!

Why have you introduced Veda?

Veda is designed to provide quicker and easier options for support with general queries related to Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH). The virtual assistant provides an alternative option to emails and phone calls for a number of simple queries detailed below.  

Why it is a pilot?

Initially, Veda will only be available in pilot for a limited time whilst GMMH work to understand the scope of the virtual assistant and the benefits it can bring to users.  

The pilot will run until Monday 30 June 2025.  

Veda may be reintroduced after this pilot period dependent on the outcome of the pilot evaluation.  

How to use Veda

Our virtual assistant is located at the bottom right of our Contact us webpage and can be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Simply click on the blue “Hello! Chat with us!" button, type your question into the text box provided and Veda will respond. 

Blue button with chat bubbles and text reading:

You can restart or minimise your conversation at any time by using the icons in the top right of the chat window. Your conversation history stays in the chat window until you restart the chat or leave the Contact us webpage.

You can access Veda through any web browser such as Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge or Mozilla Firefox. You can access this from the browser on your personal smartphone, desktop PC, laptop, tablet etc.

What can Veda help you with?

The virtual assistant can provide quick answers on:

  • general enquiries about the Trust
  • contact details of services
  • locations of services
  • parking information

For example, you can ask simple questions using phrases such as “what jobs are available?” or “what is the number for Manchester Talking Therapies?”.

Please note that Veda is still learning, so if it can’t answer your question, it will guide you to the most appropriate resources. 

What Veda can’t do

Our virtual assistant cannot:

  • Confirm, rearrange or cancel appointments. If you have a query about an upcoming appointment, please contact the service that you’re under directly to confirm, rearrange or cancel your booking.  You can find contact details for our Services by Location here.
  • Provide clinical or medical advice about medicines, symptoms or treatments. For medical concerns, please contact your clinical team directly.
  • Answer any questions related to personal details. Please do not input any personal details, for example your name, address, phone number, date of birth, or NHS number. If your personal details need updating, please contact the service that you’re under directly.
  • Follow up on an existing enquiry, for example, a question submitted to our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) Team.
  • Provide you with your NHS number.
  • Advise on service waiting times or the status of a referral. 

Please note the assistant is not designed for use in emergency situations. 

Call NHS 111 and select the mental health option (option 2) if you, or someone you know, is in a mental health crisis. Available 24/7, you’ll speak to a mental health professional who can help you find the right support.

If there’s an immediate risk to life ring 999 or go to A&E (accident and emergency).

What is AI (Artificial Intelligence)?

Artificial Intelligence is an umbrella terms covering the theory and development of computer systems capable of performing tasks that would otherwise be completed by humans and require human intelligence.  

In the context of Veda, ‘Artificial Intelligence’ is the use of natural language processing, allowing the virtual assistant to understand the comments you type within the webchat. 

Once Veda has decided the meaning of your text, it will follow a standard set of questions, laid out by the Trust, giving you responses that have been written by the Trust. 

Therefore, the Artificial Intelligence being used is focused on understanding the language people use and is not being used to decide what advise you should receive.

Feedback

Whilst using the virtual assistant you will be asked for feedback.

Your feedback will help us identify where improvements can be made to better the assistant if we decide to introduce it as an additional channel across the website after the pilot has ended.

Privacy

Read our Privacy Policy to find out more.

As a patient

As a service user, relative or carer using our services, sometimes you may need to turn to someone for help, advice, and support. 

Find resources for carers and service users  Contact the Trust