At Thamesmead Medical Associates we are introducing a tool called Accurx Scribe to help clinicians document consultations more efficiently.
Accurx Scribe is an AI-assisted note-taking tool. It listens to the conversation during a consultation and helps the clinician create a draft summary of the discussion. This can include information about symptoms, medical history, examination findings and the agreed plan. The system is designed to focus on clinically relevant information discussed during the consultation in order to help create accurate clinical notes.
The aim is to allow clinicians to focus more on the conversation with the patient and less on typing notes during the appointment.
All notes created with this tool are reviewed and edited by the clinician before they are saved in the medical record. The clinician remains fully responsible for the clinical record and for all decisions about care.
This tool is designed to support clinicians with documentation. It does not replace clinical judgement and does not make decisions about patient care.
Nothing is automatically added to the patient record without clinician review.
Patient choice
Before using Accurx Scribe during a consultation, the clinician will explain that the tool may be used to assist with note taking and will ask for your permission.
If you prefer not to use this tool, please tell the clinician and it will not be used. Choosing not to use the tool will not affect your care in any way.
Privacy and confidentiality
The tool processes information discussed during the consultation in order to produce a draft clinical note. This information is handled in line with NHS data protection standards and UK data protection law.
Audio from the consultation is used temporarily to generate the draft note. The clinician then reviews and edits the output before saving the final version into the medical record.
Patient information processed during consultations is not used to train artificial intelligence systems.
Only the information that the clinician decides to include is stored in the patient record.
Accurx Scribe has been assessed against NHS digital security and data protection standards and the practice has completed the required governance processes, including a Data Protection Impact Assessment and local NHS approval, before introducing the system.
Further information
You can read more about how this technology works in our patient information leaflet about Accurx Scribe. Download the leaflet here (DOCX, 53KB)
You can also read our detailed privacy information explaining how your data is processed when this tool is used. Download the privacy notice here (DOCX, 22KB)
Frequently asked questions
Is my consultation being recorded?
No. The tool listens to the consultation to help generate draft notes, but it does not store your consultation as a permanent audio recording. Only the final clinical notes reviewed by the clinician are saved in your medical record.
Who checks the notes?
Your clinician reviews and edits the notes before they are saved. The clinician remains responsible for the accuracy of your medical record and for all decisions about your care.
Can I ask for this not to be used?
Yes. If you prefer not to use the tool, simply tell your clinician and it will not be used during your consultation.
Is my data secure?
Yes. The system meets NHS digital security and data protection standards and the practice has completed the appropriate governance and privacy checks before introducing the system.
Further information about the Accurx Scribe system is available at: https://www.accurx.com/scribe