A clinic letter arrives full of words you have never heard of, and your GP surgery is busy. What do you do?
More of us are turning to AI chatbots such as Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini. Used well, they can be a brilliant helper. Used badly, they can send you the wrong way.
First, what is an AI chatbot?
An AI chatbot is a computer program you can talk to in everyday language. It can explain things and summarise long documents. But it does not examine you, it cannot see your full medical history, and it can get things wrong while sounding very sure of itself.
You are not alone in using it
A UK study published in May 2026 by King's College London and partners found that one in seven people (15%) had used an AI chatbot for health advice instead of contacting a GP or another NHS service. The main reasons were convenience, curiosity and not being sure if their concern was serious enough for a GP. One in five (20%) of those users said the chatbot did not encourage them to get a professional opinion (King's College London, 2026).
Six ways AI can help
- Translating medical jargon. Paste in a clinic letter (with your name, address and NHS number removed) and ask, “Explain this in plain English.”
- Getting ready for appointments. NHS guidance suggests making a list of questions to take to your appointment (My Planned Care NHS, n.d.). AI can turn a jumble of worries into a clear, short list. See our guide on how to prepare for your doctor's appointment.
- Keeping track of symptoms. Ask it to set up a simple diary for pain, sleep, flare-ups or side effects, so your GP can see patterns.
- Understanding a diagnosis you already have. If you have been told you have, say, osteoarthritis, AI can explain what that means and point you to the NHS website.
- Making information more accessible. AI can rewrite information in shorter chunks, simpler words, bullet points or another language. For disabled people, people with a learning disability and people whose first language is not English, this can remove real barriers to understanding their own care.
- Checking health claims you see online. Seen a social media post or website promising a “miracle cure”? Paste it in and ask, “What does the NHS say, and what is the evidence?” AI can help you spot warning signs, such as no sources or someone selling a product. AI can be wrong too, so ask for sources and check them.
Key insight: a sidekick, not a doctor
Think of AI as a knowledgeable friend who helps you prepare, understand and ask better questions, not as the person who diagnoses you or decides your treatment.
Making sense of your Apple Health data
The Health app on an iPhone or Apple Watch collects information such as your steps, sleep and heart rate. AI can help you spot patterns in it. For example: “My average sleep has dropped over the past month. What everyday things can affect sleep, and what should I mention to my GP?”
In the US, people on Claude's paid Pro and Max plans can connect Claude to Apple Health, in a trial (beta) version. Anthropic, which makes Claude, says users opt in, choose what they share and can disconnect at any time, and that their health data is not used to train its AI (Anthropic, 2026). At the time of writing, this is only available in the US (Anthropic, n.d.), but you can still type in figures such as weekly steps or average sleep.
Readings from a phone or watch are not medical tests. If one worries you, speak to a health professional, not a chatbot.
Why AI does not replace your doctor, nurse or pharmacist
In a University of Oxford study published in February 2026, 1,298 members of the public were given 10 everyday medical scenarios. Some used a chatbot; others used their usual sources, such as an internet search (Bean et al., 2026).
| Oxford study (1,298 people, 10 scenarios) | Result |
|---|---|
| Chatbots tested alone: named the relevant condition | 94.9% of cases |
| People using the same chatbots: named the relevant condition | Fewer than 34.5% of cases |
| People using the chatbots: chose the right next step (such as GP, A&E or self-care) | Fewer than 44.2% of cases |
| Compared with people using their usual sources, such as internet searches | No better |
Source: Bean et al. (2026).
People did not always know which details to share, and good advice was often mixed with poor advice (University of Oxford, 2026). The chatbots tested (GPT-4o, Llama 3 and Command R+) have since been updated, but the researchers say any AI health tool should be tested with real people before it is offered to the public (Bean et al., 2026).
Dr Rebecca Payne, the lead medical practitioner on the study, put it simply: “Despite all the hype, AI just isn't ready to take on the role of the physician” (University of Oxford, 2026).
A health professional can examine you, order tests, read your records and take responsibility for your care. A chatbot cannot.
Important: getting help now
If you think you need medical help now, use 111 online, call 111 or use the NHS App. If someone has signs of a life-threatening illness or injury, call 999 (NHS, 2022). Never wait for a chatbot's answer in an emergency.
Five simple rules for using AI safely
- Protect your privacy. Remove your name, date of birth, address and NHS number before pasting anything in.
- Check the facts. Compare what AI tells you with the NHS website or a trusted UK charity.
- Never change your medicines because of a chatbot. Speak to your GP or pharmacist first.
- Take it with you. Share your AI-prepared questions with your health professional. Use AI to get ready for the appointment, not instead of it.
- If you are struggling emotionally, talk to a real person. You can call Samaritans free, any time, on 116 123 (Samaritans, n.d.).
The Zero Jargon bottom line
AI can help you understand your health and get more from every appointment. But decisions about diagnosis and treatment belong with you and a qualified health professional, together.
References
Anthropic (2026) Advancing Claude in healthcare and the life sciences. 11 January. Available at: https://www.anthropic.com/news/healthcare-life-sciences (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Anthropic (n.d.) Use Claude with iOS apps. Claude Help Center. Available at: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11869619-use-claude-with-ios-apps (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Bean, A.M., Payne, R.E., Parsons, G., Kirk, H.R., Ciro, J., Mosquera-Gómez, R., Hincapié M, S., Ekanayaka, A.S., Tarassenko, L., Rocher, L. and Mahdi, A. (2026) ‘Reliability of LLMs as medical assistants for the general public: a randomized preregistered study’, Nature Medicine, 32(2), pp. 609–615. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-04074-y (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
King's College London (2026) One in seven people have used AI instead of seeing a GP, study finds. 13 May. Available at: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/one-in-seven-people-have-used-ai-instead-of-seeing-a-gp-study-finds (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
My Planned Care NHS (n.d.) Preparing for my appointment. Available at: https://www.myplannedcare.nhs.uk/preparing-for-my-appointment/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
NHS (2022) When to use NHS 111 online or call 111. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/urgent-and-emergency-care-services/when-to-use-111/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
Samaritans (n.d.) Talk to us on the phone. Available at: https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/talk-us-phone/ (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
University of Oxford (2026) New study warns of risks in AI chatbots giving medical advice. 10 February. Available at: https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2026-02-10-new-study-warns-risks-ai-chatbots-giving-medical-advice (Accessed: 27 September 2026).
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Important medical disclaimer
The content provided in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your GP, psychiatrist or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Never start, stop or change a prescribed medicine without speaking to your prescriber first.
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