Key points
- Use a spoken script of about 20 seconds at the start of the visit and a written notice the patient can read in advance.
- In the US, federal law allows recording with one party's consent, and about 11 states require every party to agree.23 Asking every patient meets the stricter rule everywhere.
- In the UK, the ICO lists what a privacy notice must say, including the purpose, the lawful basis, the recipients, how long data is kept and the patient's rights.1
- Australia's regulator says AI transcription software should include an explicit consent requirement as an initial step before proceeding.5
- Adapt the template below with your own legal and indemnity advice before use.
Summary
An AI scribe consent template needs a short spoken script that says what the tool does, what is kept, who reviews the note and how to say no, plus a written notice that meets local privacy law. Ask every patient, record the answer in the note and adapt the wording below with your own legal advice.
Consent settles in twenty seconds, and the clinician's attention stays on the patient for the rest of the visit. Below is the wording to use today, and what regulators in the UK, the US and Australia expect it to cover.
See it in your clinicThirty minutes on your own patients and doctors.
Request a demoSee recording consent captured at booking, so the consultation starts without a separate consent step.
| Part | Template wording | Adapt for |
|---|---|---|
| Script, opening | "Before we start, we use a secure tool that listens to our conversation and drafts the notes, so we can give you our full attention." | Your own way of speaking |
| Script, review | "The doctor reads and corrects every note before signing it. The tool does not make any decisions about your care." | Clinician role, for example nurse or physiotherapist |
| Script, what is kept | "The audio is used only to write the note and is kept for [period] before it is deleted." | Your actual retention period |
| Script, the choice | "You can say no, now or at any point, and it will not affect your care. Are you happy for us to use it today?" | Keep the choice clear and genuine |
| Script, the record | Note the answer in the record, for example "Patient informed of AI scribe and agreed" | Your note template |
| Notice, what we use | [Clinic name] uses an AI tool that records consultations to draft the clinical note, which a clinician then reviews and signs. | Name of the tool or supplier type |
| Notice, why and lawful basis | We use it to keep accurate records of your care. Our lawful basis is [basis]. | UK and EU lawful basis, or local equivalent |
| Notice, who processes it | The audio is processed by [supplier type], acting on our instructions under a written contract. | Recipients and any international transfer |
| Notice, how long | Audio and transcripts are kept for [period]. The signed note is kept as part of your medical record for [period]. | Retention periods or the criteria used |
| Notice, your rights | You can decline at any visit, ask for a copy of your record, or object. Contact [name, email]. | Rights that apply locally |
Consent has a spoken part and a written part
The spoken script comes at the start of every consultation, before recording begins. It names the tool in plain words, says the clinician reviews the note and offers a clear way to decline, in about 20 seconds.
The written notice sits on the clinic's website and in the booking confirmation, and carries the detail a privacy regulator expects so the script can stay short.
What UK law asks the written notice to cover
The ICO's guidance on the right to be informed says privacy information must always include the purposes of the processing, the lawful basis, the retention periods and the rights available to the individual, plus recipients and international transfers where they apply.1 Where there is no fixed retention period, the clinic must explain the criteria it uses to decide.1
For an AI scribe, name the purpose (drafting the clinical note), the type of supplier that processes the audio, how long audio and transcripts are kept, and how a patient can object or ask for a copy. The UK GDPR guide for AI scribes covers the lawful basis.
What US law asks
Federal wiretap law permits recording where one party to the conversation has given prior consent.3 State law can be stricter. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press lists about 11 states that primarily require all parties to consent, namely California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington, and 4 more that require it for either in-person conversations or phone calls.2
Under HIPAA, a covered entity may use and disclose health information for its own treatment, payment and health care operations without a separate authorization.4 That covers the use of the information. The state recording rule still decides whether the patient must agree to the recording, and asking every patient settles it in every state. See US recording laws for AI scribes.
What professional regulators expect
Australia's health practitioner regulator says informed consent is particularly important in AI models that record private conversations, and that AI transcription software should include an explicit consent requirement as an initial step before proceeding.5
Professional regulators elsewhere expect the same, with the patient's informed agreement noted in the record. See patient consent for AI scribes for when consent is needed.
The template
The table gives the spoken script line by line and the written notice section by section. Replace the bracketed items and have a lawyer or your indemnity provider check the final wording against the rules where you practise.
Record the answer in the note each time, for example "Patient informed of AI scribe and agreed to recording". If the patient declines, switch the scribe off and carry on as normal, with the same care offered.
How wai takes consent
In wai, recording consent is taken at booking, so the consultation starts without a separate consent step.6 The patient reads the notice before the visit, and the clinician confirms it in a sentence at the start.
The note that follows is a draft for the clinician to review and sign. See who signs an AI clinical note.
Where to start
Copy the template into your clinic's documents and fill in the bracketed items. Send it to your indemnity provider or lawyer for a local check, then publish the written notice on your website and in booking confirmations.
Brief every clinician on the spoken script and the decline route, and add a consent line to your note template. After a month, audit twenty notes for the consent line and ask reception how many patients asked questions.
See the consent step at booking and the note it leads to, on a consultation from your own clinic.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an AI scribe consent form template I can use?
Yes. The table on this page gives a spoken script and a written notice that any clinic can copy. Adapt the bracketed items and have the final wording checked against local law.
Does a patient have to sign a consent form for an AI scribe?
Does HIPAA require patient consent for an AI scribe?
What should the written notice include in the UK?
The purpose, the lawful basis, the retention period or criteria, the patient's rights and, where relevant, the recipients and any international transfer, as the ICO lists.1
What happens if a patient says no?
Switch the scribe off and continue the consultation as normal. Record the decline in the note, and offer the choice again at the next visit.
Can consent be taken before the appointment?
Yes, and it saves time in the room. In wai, recording consent is taken at booking, and the clinician confirms it briefly at the start.6
Sources
- 1Information Commissioner's OfficeWhat privacy information should we provide?Read 14 October 2026Read source
- 2Reporters Committee for Freedom of the PressIntroduction to the Reporter's Recording GuideRead 14 October 2026Read source
- 3Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School18 U.S. Code 2511, Interception and disclosure of wire, oral, or electronic communications prohibitedRead 14 October 2026Read source
- 4Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School45 CFR 164.506, Uses and disclosures to carry out treatment, payment, or health care operationsRead 14 October 2026Read source
- 5Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), 2024Meeting your professional obligations when using Artificial Intelligence in healthcareRead 14 October 2026Read source
- 6wai, 2026ChangelogRead 14 October 2026Read source
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