Introduction
In your upcoming appointment, your GP will be using a new computer-based tool to help them write the appointment notes and letter (if relevant) about your visit. The tool is called Surgery Intellect and is provided by our telephone system provider Surgery Connect. They have been working with a company called TORTUS to provide an Ambient Voice Technology that works alongside the technology we already have in the surgery.
Surgery Intellect listens to the conversations during the appointment and generates a note summary and clinic letter (if relevant) at the end. This could allow your GP to spend less time taking notes or typing on the computer and more time focusing on you.
What is ambient voice technology?
Ambient voice technology (which can be abbreviated to AVT) helps your clinician take notes in a consultation, or a receptionist take notes during a conversation. It listens to what is said and turns it into written notes. This means they can spend more time talking and listening to you. These tools are often also referred to as ambient scribes or AI scribes.
Why is Courtyard Surgery using it?
We use ambient voice technology to:
- help your doctor, nurse or receptionist remember what you talked about.
- make sure your notes are clear and correct.
- reduces the time clinicians spend on administration.
- give the clinician or receptionist more time to focus on you and improves your experience in the surgery.
How does it work?
Surgery Intellect uses artificial intelligence (abbreviated to AI), which has been tested by clinical staff in many hospitals and GP surgeries. Surgery Intellect has been programmed to listen to all the words spoken during your appointment. At the end of the appointment, Surgery Intellect summarises the important clinical content in a note and letter (if relevant). Your GP will then check both for accuracy and completeness before making any changes and approving them.
How does this help me?
Using ambient voice technology means:
- the clinician can look at you, not a screen.
- you don’t have to repeat things as much.
- you get better care because the clinician or receptionist has more time for you.
Is it safe?
We understand why people may have concerns about the use of AVT/AI technology in healthcare settings.
Surgery Intellect is powered by TORTUS which is a Class I Medical Device (Class IIa pending) under the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. It complies with NHS DCB0129 for manufacturer's clinical risk managemnent, and supports healthcare organisations in meeting NHS DCB0160 standards for health IT system deployment and use.
Surgery Intellect is also Cyber Essentials Plus certified and penetration tested by a CREST-approved vendor, also the first NHS generative AI company to meet NHS DTAC standards.
Before launching Surgery Intellect Courtyard Surgery worked with our Data Protection Officers to ensure the system was thoroughly checked for compliance with GDPR and that the technology is secure.
FAQs
- Is Surgery Intellect the same as tools like ChatGPT or other AI I’ve heard about online?
No. Surgery Intellect is designed specifically for healthcare settings. It is not the same as public AI tools. It follows strict NHS standards for safety, privacy, and clinical use. Your data is never used to train or improve the tool.
- Can I opt out of using Surgery Intellect?
Yes. If you prefer not to have Surgery Intellect used in your consultation, please let the clinician know. You can still have your appointment, and your clinician will take notes in the usual way.
- Is my appointment being recorded?
No. Surgery Intellect never records or stores audio. The technology types up notes as you speak to create a transcript of the conversation.
- Who can see or hear what I say during the consultation?
No audio is recorded. The transcript of your consultation is only available to the clinician you had your consultation with, or the receptionist you spoke with. The note produced will be transferred to your electronic medical record. This is only available to authorised NHS staff involved in your care.
- How long is my information stored?
All data is kept in secure environments and is deleted after the note and letter (if relevant) are generated at the end of the consultation. Surgery Intellect makes a summary note and letter (if relevant) from the words spoken during the appointment. These will be copied into your record by your GP. Only your GP-approved note and letter (if relevant) will exist in your electronic patient record after your appointment. The note will be saved to your electronic medical record and retained in line with the Records Management Code of Practice.
- Where is my data stored, and how is it being kept safe?
Your data is stored securely within the UK, using systems that meet UK and NHS data protection standards. All information is encrypted and protected to keep it safe from unauthorised access. The use of Surgery Intellect at Courtyard Surgery has been reviewed and approved by our Data Protection Officers.
- Is my information being sent outside the UK?
No identifiable information is processed outside of the UK. Some anonymous or statistical data may be stored and processed outside of the UK, but only under strict conditions to comply with UK data protection laws.
- Will I get a copy of what was discussed?
You can see a copy of the notes from your consultation at any time within the NHS app.
- What happens if the notes don’t reflect what I said or meant?
If you notice anything in your record that doesn’t seem right, you can speak to the practice. We can review and update the notes if needed.
- How accurate are the notes created during my consultation?
Surgery Intellect is designed to capture important medical details accurately, including symptoms, treatments, and follow-up plans. The technology uses advanced speech recognition to understand different accents, filter out small talk, and focus on clinical information. It has been shown to reduce errors and improve the quality of documentation. The notes are never added to your medical record without being reviewed. Your clinician always checks and approves the notes to make sure they are correct and complete before they are saved.
- Will my appointment be different because you're using Surgery Intellect?
One of the benefits of Surgery Intellect is that it allows your clinician to focus more on you during the consultation. They will still speak with you directly and concentrate on your care. Surgery Intellect supports the conversation - it doesn’t replace it. - Do I need to do anything different in my appointment?
No, you don't need to do anything differently. - Is Surgery Intellect used for all types of consultations?
Surgery Intellect can be used both in person and over the phone. It might not be used in every consultation, only when the clinician feels it would benefit the patient.