Artificial Intelligence Policy

Artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare, offering new possibilities for diagnosis, treatment planning, and patient care. We embrace these technologies while maintaining the highest standards of clinical safety, patient privacy, and ethical practice.

Our guiding principle is that AI should support — never replace — the clinical judgement of qualified healthcare professionals. Every AI-assisted process in our practice is subject to rigorous oversight and validation by our medical team.

We may use AI technologies in the following areas of our practice:

• Administrative efficiency: Appointment scheduling, automated reminders, and workflow optimisation to reduce waiting times
• Clinical documentation: AI-assisted note-taking and transcription to help clinicians focus on patient care
• Patient communication: Chatbots and automated responses for general enquiries and triage guidance
• Content creation: AI-assisted generation of educational health content, always reviewed by medical professionals before publication
• Data analysis: Anonymised data analysis to improve service quality and patient outcomes

When AI is used in clinical contexts, the following safeguards are always in place:

• AI outputs are treated as supplementary information, not as definitive clinical recommendations
• All clinical decisions are made by qualified, registered healthcare professionals
• Patients are informed when AI has been used as part of their care pathway
• Any AI tools used in clinical settings are validated and comply with relevant medical device regulations (including MHRA requirements)

We take data privacy seriously when implementing AI technologies:

• Patient data used with AI systems is processed in accordance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018
• We conduct Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) before deploying new AI systems that process personal data
• Patient data is anonymised or pseudonymised wherever possible before being used with AI tools
• We do not sell or share patient data with third parties for AI training purposes without explicit consent
• AI service providers are subject to strict data processing agreements and security requirements

For full details on how we handle your personal data, please see our Privacy Policy.

Human oversight is central to our use of AI. We ensure that:

• A designated clinical lead is responsible for overseeing all AI implementations
• Staff involved in AI-assisted processes receive appropriate training on the capabilities and limitations of the tools
• Regular audits are conducted to assess the accuracy and fairness of AI outputs
• Patients can request that their care is delivered without AI involvement

We acknowledge that AI technologies have limitations and are not infallible:

• AI systems can produce inaccurate or biased results, which is why human review is always required
• AI cannot replicate the empathy, intuition, and holistic understanding that human clinicians bring to patient care
• Performance of AI tools may vary across different patient populations and clinical contexts
• AI-generated content or recommendations should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice

We are committed to being transparent about our use of AI. This includes:

• Clearly informing patients when AI is used in their care or communication
• Making this policy publicly available and easy to understand
• Providing mechanisms for patients to ask questions about AI use in their care
• Disclosing when website content has been generated or assisted by AI

As AI technology evolves rapidly, we will review and update this policy regularly to reflect changes in our AI use, regulatory requirements, and best practices. Material changes will be communicated through our website. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.