Patients visiting doctors and clinics in Swindon now have the right to refuse the use of artificial intelligence tools that record and transcribe their medical appointments. New guidance published by Healthwatch Swindon on 8 April 2026 ensures that local residents can opt out of these digital note-taking systems if they prefer traditional methods.
The technology, known as ambient scribing, uses software to listen to conversations between patients and healthcare professionals to automatically generate clinical notes. While these tools are designed to reduce administrative work for staff, the national rollout follows concerns regarding patient privacy and the accuracy of automated summaries. According to Healthwatch England, some patients have raised fears that important clinical details could be misrepresented or missed by the software.
Under the new rules set by NHS England, clinicians must inform patients at the very start of a session if they intend to use an AI scribe. If a patient objects, the healthcare professional is required to respect that choice and revert to manual note-taking. The guidance was developed in coordination with the Information Commissioner’s Office and the National Data Guardian to ensure data protection standards are maintained.
For those who do proceed with AI-assisted appointments, healthcare staff remain fully responsible for the final medical record. Staff are required to verify and correct any notes or summaries generated by the AI before they are added to a patient’s file. In most cases, the original audio recordings and transcripts are expected to be deleted once a verified summary has been produced and signed off by the clinician.
This policy affects care provided through the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which serves more than 750,000 people across the area. The trust operates within the BSW Integrated Care System, which oversees health services for residents in Swindon and surrounding regions. While the NHS England currently lists various approved AI tools that have been vetted for safety and data protection, local patients are encouraged to speak openly with their doctors if they have concerns about how their sensitive health information is being processed.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
