AI to support, not replace, clinicians in local GP hubs
Artificial intelligence is set to play a supportive role for clinicians in local GP hubs, rather than replacing them, according to a report presented to the Health Scrutiny Committee.
Craig Nikolic, Chief Executive Officer of Together First CIC, a GP federation, explained to councillors that AI is being implemented for tasks such as creating transcripts of consultations and acting as a search engine for clinicians. He assured the committee that these AI systems are designed to support, not replace, human clinicians and would not provide clinical advice.
Specifically, Together First CIC is implementing Ambient Voice Technology (AVT), an AI system that listens to consultations, creates transcripts, and writes records for clinicians. This technology aims to reduce the administrative burden on staff by freeing up clinicians from typing notes during appointments. A digital front door for users is also being introduced to assist those who cannot use technology, acting as a referral point to a human if clinical advice is requested. Additionally, a search engine for clinicians will help them find referral processes and documents more efficiently.
Mr Nikolic stated that the AI systems are not diagnostic and would refer to human clinicians when necessary. This was in response to concerns raised about the potential for AI to misdiagnose, particularly with patients who underplay their symptoms. Measures are in place to ensure accuracy and reliability: the chosen AI products do not provide diagnoses or autonomous clinical actions, and clinicians have a professional duty to review and confirm the accuracy of AI-generated records.
Every clinician using the ambient voice technology will receive training on its use, which will also serve as a reminder of their professional duty to review the AI-generated records. The primary stated benefit of these AI tools is to take away the burden on our staff
and free up human time to deal with people who can't deal with technology,
ultimately aiming to free up human capacity by automating certain tasks.
Public reports pack Wednesday 21-Oct-2026 19.00 Health Scrutiny Committee