Using AI-enabled ambient scribing products in health and care settings
AI-enabled ambient scribing products, also known as ambient scribes, are a type of AI tool that listen in the background to capture speech or conversations and produce a task-specific output, such as a summary of the conversation or a letter.
Health and care organisations may use this technology to reduce administrative burden on their health and care staff. For example, an ambient scribe may assist a health and care professional to produce a summary following a consultation with a patient or service user.
This guidance has been created by NHS England.
Guidance for patients and service users
Health or care professionals might use ambient scribes for creating notes when they are talking with you, for example during an appointment about your care. They use these tools to make note-taking easier so they can spend more time focusing on you.
Being informed about ambient scribes
If your health or care professional is using an ambient scribe to help them take notes during a conversation, they should tell you at the beginning of the session. They may also provide information about this in public areas (for example, through posters and TV screens in waiting areas) and in newsletters you receive.
You can also read your health or care organisation’s privacy notice to find out more about how the organisation uses ambient scribes.
Objecting to ambient scribes
You can ask for an ambient scribe not to be used during your appointment. If you prefer this, tell your health or care professional at the start of the appointment. They can talk through any concerns with you and will respect your choice.
Using safe products
Before using ambient scribes, your health or care organisation will review and assess:
- the company who made the AI product
- how the AI product was created
- how the AI product works
- how safe the product is for use in supporting your care
They must be satisfied that the company and product have rules in place to make sure your information is kept safe and used in line with the law before using the ambient scribe.
Making sure notes and summaries are accurate
Notes, summaries and letters that have been created by ambient scribes might sometimes contain errors.
People using ambient scribes must check the notes or letters that have been made by the ambient scribe to make sure they are accurate. They do this before adding any information to your record and are responsible for making sure the information in your record remains correct.
I work in a health and care organisation - what do I need to know?
