Mirror, the app created by Aide Health, discreetly listens during any healthcare consultation and produces a plain-English summary that patients can revisit at any time.

From GP surgeries and hospitals to pharmacies and opticians, it ensures medical advice isn’t lost the moment you leave the room.

The need is urgent: research shows up to 80% of medical advice is forgotten immediately, and nearly half of what’s remembered about medicine is inaccurate. That confusion can lead to missed medication, unclear instructions, and poorer health outcomes – costing the NHS an estimated £1 billion a year.

“Imagine leaving any appointment with a clear, personalised summary that makes you feel more in control of your health,” said Ian Wharton, Founder and CEO of Aide Health. “That’s why we designed Mirror.”

Unlike clinician-focused “medical scribe” tech, Mirror is built purely for the patient. Users can access their notes at any time, get explanations of medical topics, share appointment summaries with family members or caregivers, and ask Mirror questions about their consultation, receiving answers based solely on what was said, which helps boost understanding and treatment adherence.

Mirror was inspired by Wharton’s experience supporting his father, who has early-stage Alzheimer’s, during a hospital admission after a fall and broken hip.

“The volume and complexity of medical information given to him at the bedside, only days after trauma while in an unfamiliar environment, meant little, if anything, was remembered,” he said.

“We were with him nearly the entire time, but my biggest fear was something crucial being missed in the moments he was alone. No patient or family member should experience that worry or sense of isolation with the technology we have available to us today.”

Mirror’s privacy features are central to its design; audio recordings are used only to create the written summary and are deleted immediately. Patients are reminded that AI can make mistakes and encouraged to confirm uncertainties with their healthcare professional.

Aide Health’s AI tools are already used across NHS England to support patients with asthma, type 2 diabetes, COPD, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. Aide Health has received backing for its innovations from the National Institute of Health and Care Research and Innovate UK.

Janette Palfrey, one of the first people to use the Mirror app during an appointment with her consultant, said: "It was brilliant having something on my phone, ready in my pocket when I needed it. I could just focus on talking with my consultant without stressing about missing anything, because I knew the app was recording it all.

“It helped me relax and actually listen. Afterwards, I got a really clear summary with headings like my concerns, diagnosis, and prognosis. If there was a medical term I didn’t get, I could just ask Mirror and it explained it – that was such a relief.

“It honestly felt like having support in my pocket. And after the appointment, I didn’t have to keep going over everything again and again with family and friends. I could just share the summary of key points. Even my brother who is 92 and lives in Dublin, has already said he wants to use it too!"

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