Gabriella’s story: The journey to becoming an unofficial Notes ambassador

Gabriella still remembers how she felt the first time she used Notes.

She’d been a social worker for five years and, like many practitioners, had a system that worked. Notebook open and pen in hand, she jotted down key points from her conversations, and tidied them up afterwards. 

It wasn’t the most efficient, but it worked for her. So when Enfield Council introduced Notes, she was hesitant.

“I was a bit nervous to use it,” she says. “You know how it is when you’re used to doing things a particular way.”

Then a colleague encouraged her to give it a go. Four months later, Gabriella hasn’t looked back. Read her story to find out why she now describes herself as an “unofficial Notes ambassador.”

What’s your role and what inspired you to pursue a career in it?

Gabriella: I'm a social worker in the review team at Enfield Council, where we review the care packages that our residents receive. We determine what's working well, what's not, and if they require any further support.

I’ve been a social worker for five years now. I’ve always found myself supporting and assisting people. I'm a social person, very outgoing, I love chatting and getting to know people, so I thought this would be the perfect role for me. I did health and social care at sixth form, and then I went straight on to study social work.

What was your initial reaction to using Notes?

Gabriella: I started using Notes about 4 months ago, when Enfield Council rolled it out. Initially, I was a bit nervous to use it, you know how it is when you're used to doing things a particular way. Then one of my colleagues told me, "Gabriella, you've got to try this." Once I tried it, honestly, I have not looked back.

Notes has made my life so much easier, particularly with writing supervision minutes. Minutes are something I used to hate writing. But now, you can ask me to write minutes any day, and I'll do it!

What do you like most about Notes?

Gabriella: When taking notes manually, it’s impossible to capture every single piece of information. I can pick up the key information and the key risks, but getting every single detail is difficult. So, the luxury of going to a meeting, knowing I can just take my phone or my laptop, and sitting in a room with six or seven people speaking, and knowing that it will all be captured on Notes, just makes my life easier. That's why I love it so much.

It also makes your work sound more professional. It uses the right words and makes the output more readable, and the information is structured in a nice way.

How is it benefiting your interactions with clients? 

Gabriella: I still have the same number of cases each month, but the quality of time I spend with people has improved a lot. It also allows me to be relaxed and have more human conversations. Sometimes when you're in front of someone with a book and pen, it can feel a bit too serious. If you can have a more informal approach, that works well.

How have others around you responded to AI being used?

Gabriella: In team meetings, I think many people have been pro-AI. We also work with a lot of solicitors, nurses and private agencies on cases, and they're all saying, “Wow, this tool is so amazing for our meetings. We need this.”

Can you share an example of where Notes has had a noticeable impact?

Gabriella: I was working with a gentleman who lacks capacity for managing his finances. When you have reason to doubt someone’s capacity to make a decision, you have to do a Mental Capacity Act Assessment. If found to lack mental capacity to make a decision around their finances, one option is to make a referral to the deputyship team so they can refer it to the court for a court order to be put in place so the council can manage their finances. As you can imagine, the process is very long.

Notes allowed me to write that court form very quickly - as it was able to record the process, the questions, and the meeting. This then allowed me to support the service user very quickly and get an outcome. Had it been a year ago, I would have probably put it off because it's so long and you don't know where to start!

What would you say to someone who was considering using Notes?

Gabriella: I’m such a huge fan of Notes! It truly lives up to its name. It has made my work so much easier and I honestly wish it had been around sooner. Whenever colleagues aren’t using it, I’m always encouraging them to give it a try because it’s that good. I can’t stop talking about Notes - it’s become my go-to recommendation! I feel like an unofficial ambassador, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

More time for what matters 

For Gabriella, the biggest difference isn’t just faster documentation. It’s the freedom to focus on people.

Instead of worrying about capturing every detail in a meeting, she can listen fully and build stronger relationships with the people she supports.

If you’re curious about how Notes could support your team, book a demo and see how it works in practice.