AI-Powered Notes Could Restore Face-to-Face Time in Consultations, Experts Suggest

For years, healthcare professionals have grappled with a persistent tension: the more time spent typing clinical notes, the less time spent looking at patients. A growing recognition within medicine that consultations have become documentation-focused rather than patient-centred is now driving a technological solution—and early evidence suggests it could work.

Dr Asif Qasim, writing in the British Medical Journal, recently highlighted how medicine has “drifted towards a model in which documentation becomes the primary output and the consultation the means of producing it.” The question now facing the NHS is whether artificial intelligence can reverse this trend.

The answer, according to recent NHS trials and implementation data, appears to be yes—but with important caveats about how the technology is deployed.

Ambient voice technology, sometimes called AI scribing, represents a shift in how clinical documentation happens. Rather than clinicians pausing conversations to type notes into a computer, these tools listen to the consultation and automatically generate clinical summaries and structured notes in real time. The clinician then reviews and authorises the documentation before it enters the patient’s electronic health record.

NHS England formally backed this approach in January 2026, publishing a national registry of 19 suppliers and setting standards for clinical safety, technology, and data protection. The move reflects growing confidence in the technology’s potential to address one of the NHS’s most persistent challenges: administrative burden on clinical staff.

The case for AI notetaking rests on robust evidence. A major study led by Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust evaluated the impact across nine NHS sites in London, including hospitals, GP practices, mental health services, and ambulance teams. Over 17,000 patient encounters were assessed.

The results were striking. When AI-scribing technology was used, clinicians spent 23.5% more time in direct patient interaction during appointments. Overall appointment length was also reduced by 8.2%, meaning consultations were more efficient without sacrificing quality. In A&E departments specifically, the technology supported a 13.4% increase in patients seen per shift—a significant productivity gain in an overstretched service.

Across each consultation, the technology freed up approximately 2 to 3 minutes—time that could be redirected to patient care or allowing clinicians to see additional patients.

Some NHS organisations have already embraced the technology. At Great Ormond Street, paediatric consultants like Dr Maaike Kusters reported that AI notetaking allowed them to “sit closer face-to-face and really focus on what patients and families were sharing,” without compromising documentation quality. The tools have also generated patient-friendly summaries and after-visit communications in patients’ preferred languages, enhancing engagement.

GP practices are similarly adopting these systems. Quinton Practice in Birmingham, for example, is using Heidi AI as part of the NHS Digital First National programme. The practice emphasises that the technology is designed to “alleviate the administrative burden on healthcare professionals, allowing them to focus more on patient care rather than paperwork.” All patient data remains on UK-based servers, with no identifiable information used for machine learning.

Importantly, patients and service users surveyed about AI-assisted tools expressed cautious optimism. A qualitative study of UK mental health service users found that while participants welcomed the potential for faster referrals and reduced waiting times, they unanimously stressed that AI tools must be integrated into clinical consultations rather than used as standalone instruments. Participants emphasised the continued importance of empathy and a strong therapeutic relationship—aspects that AI cannot replace.

The consensus was clear: AI should supplement, not substitute, good clinical practice.

Evidence suggests that the benefits are strongest when AI tools are implemented with clear clinical boundaries, appropriate training, and robust oversight. Research from the NHS and academic institutions emphasises that these are not “set and forget” solutions; they require clinician buy-in, proper governance, and ongoing evaluation to ensure they genuinely serve patients rather than simply shifting administrative burdens elsewhere.

Data protection remains a critical consideration. Suppliers on the NHS registry must comply with stringent standards, and patient consent is typically sought before consultations are transcribed.

Key Takeaways

• AI notetaking tools trialled across nine NHS sites increased direct patient interaction time by 23.5% while reducing overall appointment length by 8.2%
• NHS England formally backed the technology in January 2026, publishing a registry of 19 vetted suppliers to help organisations implement it safely
• Patients and clinicians support the approach when AI is integrated into consultations alongside clinical oversight, rather than used as a replacement for human judgment and empathy

What This Means for Kent Residents

For patients across Kent and Medway, these developments carry real potential to improve access and quality of care. Kent and Medway NHS Trust, along with local GP surgeries participating in the Digital First National programme, are among the organisations exploring ambient voice technology. If implemented effectively, the technology could mean shorter waits, more face-to-face time with clinicians, and reduced administrative delays in referrals—particularly important for mental health services and specialist centres. Residents with concerns about how their data is handled can be reassured that UK-based NHS implementations comply with strict data protection standards, with patient consent sought before use. If you’re having a consultation and notice AI notetaking being used, you have the right to ask questions about the process; your local NHS trust or GP practice can provide more information about their specific implementation and your privacy protections.