We are testing a new digital assistant called an AI scribe. This tool helps clinicians by writing up notes during your appointment, so they can spend more time listening and less time typing.
🔹 What is an AI scribe?
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It is a secure tool that listens during your appointment (face-to-face or telephone).
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It creates a draft summary of the consultation for the clinician.
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This means the clinician can focus more on the conversation with you.
🔹 How will it work in practice?
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At the start of the appointment – your clinician will explain the scribe and ask if you are happy for it to be used. You can say yes or no.
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During the appointment – the scribe creates a draft transcription.
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At the end – your clinician will review the full transcription, make changes if needed, and then save it securely into your medical record.
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Afterwards – you will be able to see the final approved version through your NHS App, as usual.
🔹 Why are we testing this?
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To give clinicians more time to listen and support patients.
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To make medical notes clearer, faster, and more accurate.
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To trial new NHS-approved technology safely before wider use.
🔹 Governance and privacy
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Approved for use across the NHS.
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Checked against strict NHS rules for safety, privacy, and quality.
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We have signed Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) with the provider.
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Your information is stored securely in the same NHS record system as always.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do I have to agree to this?
No. It is your choice. If you say no, your clinician will type notes as usual.
What if I want to discuss something sensitive?
You can say no to using the scribe at any point, or ask the clinician to pause it.
Does it save my recording?
No. Only the written notes are saved in your medical record – never the audio.
Can you share my recording with me?
No. We cannot share the recording because it is not kept. You can view the final approved notes through your NHS App as usual.
Is my data saved to the cloud?
No. Once processed, the recording is deleted.
Do you share my data/details with third parties?
No. Your data is not shared with anyone outside your healthcare team.
Will this affect my care?
No. Whether or not you agree, your care will be the same.
Who can see my notes?
Only your healthcare team, in the same way as now.
🔹 Next steps
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We are running a 2-week pilot with a small number of clinicians.
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We will review feedback from both patients and staff.
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We will only continue if the tool is safe, useful, and protects your privacy.
✅ Your feedback matters. Please let us know your thoughts during and after the pilot.
