Artificial intelligence scribes used by doctors can get the names of drugs and diagnoses wrong, the NHS watchdog has warned.
Watchdog's warning on AI scribes
The warning comes from the health regulator, which said the tools, designed to transcribe consultations, can introduce errors into medical records.
The watchdog said it had received reports of AI scribes mishearing or misrecording medication names and diagnostic terms, which could pose a risk to patient safety.
Risk to patient safety
The regulator cautioned that while the technology can save time, clinicians must verify the accuracy of AI-generated notes before they are added to a patient's file.
It stressed that the final responsibility for the medical record rests with the doctor, not the software.
Advice for clinicians
The watchdog advised practices using AI scribes to put safeguards in place, including checking outputs against the original consultation and ensuring staff are trained on the limitations of the tools.
It also encouraged clinicians to report any errors they encounter so that the risks can be better understood.
