NHS watchdog warns AI scribes misrecord drug and diagnosis names

Healthwatch England has warned that artificial‑intelligence systems used to record and transcribe patient‑doctor consultations can introduce serious errors that are not always caught by general practitioners. The watchdog’s report, based on patient feedback, shows that AI‑driven scribes sometimes misidentify medication names and medical conditions, creating inaccurate consultation summaries that may affect clinical decisions.

One highlighted case involved a woman whose AI‑generated transcript incorrectly recorded that she had “demyelination,” a condition associated with nerve damage and multiple sclerosis. The erroneous entry left her “badly shaken,” illustrating the potential emotional and clinical harm caused by such inaccuracies. Healthwatch England urges tighter oversight of AI transcription tools and recommends that clinicians verify AI‑produced records against the original conversation to safeguard patient safety.