RiO SmartNotes

NELFT is one of the first NHS Trusts in the country to use Smart Notes: A new way to document your care    

What is Smart Notes?    

Smart Notes is a new digital tool that helps your healthcare professional capture important information during your appointment more accurately and efficiently. Instead of having to type or hand write notes while talking with you, your clinician can focus completely on you and your care.   

How it works

  1. Your clinician will ask for your consent to record your conversation. 
  2. The app records your appointment on a secure mobile device. 
  3. The recording is automatically transcribed and summarised using Microsoft AI technology. 
  4. Your clinician reviews and edits the summary to ensure accuracy. 
  5. The final notes are saved directly into your NHS patient record (Rio). 
  6. The audio recording is automatically deleted once the summary is complete.  

Why SmartNotes benefits you

More Time for You   

Your clinician can give you their full attention during the appointment instead of dividing focus between you and note-taking.  

Accurate Records   

By capturing the audio of your conversation, the AI-generated summaries will retain details that could be missed with other forms of notetaking.  

Faster Updates to Your Record   

Your appointment notes are available on your healthcare record much sooner, enabling other healthcare professionals to see them which will lead to improving coordination of your care.  

Your privacy and keeping your data secure 

Your privacy is our top priority:  

  • Consent Required: Recording only happens with your explicit consent.
  • Secure Storage: All data is encrypted and stored securely on NHS-approved systems.  Only the NHS Trust and the Access Group (provider of the Trust's electronic patient record) have access to your data. 
  • Automatic Deletion: Audio recordings are permanently deleted after your summary is created.  Only the clinician who was in your appointment has access to the recording, and this is only until the summary has been created.  Only the final summary is part of your patient record.
  • NHS Security Standards: Meets all NHS digital security requirements, including GDPR and registration as a medical device.  

Your consent

Before any recording begins, your clinician will:   

  • Explain that they would like to use Smart Notes.
  • Ask for your consent to record the appointment.   
  • Give you the opportunity to ask questions.    
  • Respect your decision if you prefer not to be recorded.   

Remember: Your consent is always voluntary, and you can withdraw it at any time.     

What data is collected in Smart Notes

  • An audio recording of your appointment conversation. It is then turned into text summary using Microsoft AI services.  
  • Basic appointment and patient details are shown to the clinician in the App.  These are details that are already in your NHS record.  

What happens to your data

  • Your clinician reviews and edits the text summary for accuracy, then finalises these.  
  • The finalised text summary is then saved to your NHS patient record as a set of notes. 
  • The audio recording is automatically deleted.
  • Only healthcare professionals involved in your care can then access the notes captured in the text summary, this is the same process as with your existing patient records.  

Your Rights and Choices 

You have the right to:  

  • Say no to recording the conversation, this will not affect your care.  
  • Ask questions about how Smart Notes works.  
  • Request access to the data in your patient record at any time.  
  • Ask for the data in your patient record to be corrected if needed.  
  • If you prefer not to use Smart Notes your clinician will take traditional written notes.   

More information

If you have any questions about SmartNotes or your data rights, please speak with your healthcare professional or email digital.transformation@nelft.nhs.uk  

This technology is part of our commitment to improving patient care while maintaining the highest standards of privacy and security.  

Shape SmartNotes is provided by The Access Group in partnership with NELFT. 

Some helpful links about Artificial Intelligence (AI): 

 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Q: Is my conversation being recorded all the time?   

A: No. Recording only starts when you give consent, and your clinician presses the record button. You'll always know when recording is active.  

  

Q: Who can hear my recording?   

A: Only your healthcare professional processes the recording. The Microsoft AI transcription technology doesn't store audio - it only converts it to text.  Once your healthcare professional has finished editing the text summary the recording is automatically deleted so no one else will hear it  

  

Q: What if I say something personal that I don't want in my notes?   

A: Make this clear to your clinician and they can remove the information when reviewing and editing the text summary before saving it.  They can also pause a recording should that be required.  

  

Q: Can I change my mind about recording during the appointment?   

A: Yes, you can ask your clinician to stop recording at any time during your appointment.  

  

Q: What happens if the technology doesn't work?   

A: Your clinician is trained to continue with traditional note-taking methods. Your appointment will proceed normally.