Healthwatch Rotherham, a local health and social care watchdog, has raised concerns about an artificial intelligence receptionist system called Emma that is being deployed across multiple general practice surgeries in the region. The watchdog reported receiving accounts from patients who found the system unable to comprehend their broad Yorkshire accents when attempting to describe their medical inquiries.
Kym Gleeson, manager of Healthwatch Rotherham, explained that the accents across South Yorkshire vary considerably, with different regional variations that the system sometimes fails to process effectively. This comprehension difficulty has resulted in patient frustration. One patient reported to the watchdog that repeated unsuccessful attempts to make the AI understand their request led them to abandon the effort entirely and forgo booking an appointment.
The Emma system is designed to answer patient calls instantly and eliminate traditional telephone queue wait times that are common at GP surgeries. However, Healthwatch raised particular concerns about how the technology affects vulnerable populations, including older people and individuals less confident with digital systems. Some patients from older and veterans’ communities reported such difficulty navigating the AI interface that they chose instead to visit their GP surgery in person rather than persist with phone-based booking. Healthwatch emphasized that GP practices retain a legal obligation to provide reasonable adjustments for patients who need them, and patients experiencing difficulties with the system can request alternative methods of accessing services.
QuantumLoopAI, the company operating the Emma system, responded that the technology is designed to recognize various accents and dialects and supports 17 languages beyond English. The company stated that calls are transferred to human reception staff when the AI cannot understand or handle a patient’s request, and callers can request to speak with staff members at any time. The company characterized Emma as a system intended to improve access by providing immediate call responses and eliminating telephone queues.
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