Digital Appointment Letters
Patients can now view their appointment booking, receive SMS text reminders and access critical appointment information from their mobile phone.
The first phase of this exciting innovation will launch on Wednesday 24th May 2023 with all Outpatient clinic appointment letters available in digital format. The following phases will eventually see all clinic, treatment and inpatient admissions appointment letters available in digital format too.
View your appointment letters from your mobile phone
If you have a smartphone then you will not need to wait for your appointment letter to arrive in the post as you can view your appointment with one click. This new digital way of sending letters will also feature SMS text reminders to confirm the time and date of your appointment.
Don’t worry about missing a letter - if you don’t open the digital letter within 48 hours - a hard copy will be sent to you in the post. If you don’t have a smartphone, or you’ve not given us your mobile number, you will continue to receive paper letters in the post.
You can also opt out of digital letters if you prefer to continue to receive your appointment letters by post.
Benefits and features of the new service
- Option to create a personal digital patient portal account to access all your correspondence anywhere, any time and from any device
- Never miss an appointment - automatically add the appointment to your phone calendar with a reminder notification
- Access all essential reading and patient information associated with your appointment
- Encourages patients to take an active role in their own healthcare
- Translate the letter into 98 different languages
- Read aloud in 40 languages
- Make the text size of the letter larger and easier to read
- The system has the ability to confirm, reschedule or cancel the appointment instantly on screen - saving your time and helping offer the appointment slot immediately to another patient
- Plan your travel plans with a real time traffic map
- Simply scan the QR code sent to your phone with the letter at the self-check-in kiosks when you arrive for your appointment
- Send an instant email copy of the appointment letter direct to your employer as proof of attendance
- The SMS text reminder feature is hoped to help cut the number of missed appointments
- Reduce postage costs and the Trust's carbon footprint.
What you need to do
1. Update your contact details
Make sure we have your correct mobile number. You can do this by speaking with one of our reception desk team, contacting your Consultant's secretary or emailing ccf-tr.medicalrecordsappts@nhs.net including your full name, date-of-birth and postcode, or your NHS number (if you know it) and current mobile number.
2. Register for an account
Create your own personal portal to access your appointment letters. When you open your first digital letter from us you’ll be given the option to create a patient portal by providing a username and password. If you do this, you’ll be able to log in to see all your correspondence anywhere, anytime and from any device - all in one place.
(You can choose not to set up a patient portal account and just view the individual letter and essential reading via the link sent to your mobile phone when it is are issued.)
OR
3. Opt-out of digital letters
If you prefer to receive your appointment letters by the post, you can opt out by emailing ccf-tr.medicalrecordsappts@nhs.net including your full name, date-of-birth and postcode, or your NHS number (if you know it). Please be aware if you opt–out of digital appointment letters you will automatically be opted out of receiving SMS appointment reminders also.
How it works
1. When an appointment is made for you, you will receive a SMS text invitation to your digital appointment letter, with a link and a PIN code. The text will come from NHS CCC and look like this:
2. Click the link (or copy it to your tablet or PC), enter the PIN code and your Date of Birth to see your letter.
*If you don't click the link within 48 hours - a hard copy will be sent to you in the post.
3. Click to confirm, or contact the telephone number on your letter if you wish to reschedule or cancel the appointment (0151 556 5000 Option 3 from the main menu).
*The system will eventually have the option to confirm, reschedule or cancel at the click of a button - but initially patients will be required to telephone the booking team to reschedule or cancel.
4. Add the appointment to your phone calendar.
5. Click the button to access 'Essential Reading' this will include any clinic-specific instructions, essential reading and hospital information.
6. Seven days before your appointment we'll send an SMS text reminder.
7. You'll get another SMS text reminder 48 hours before your appointment.
*If you don't click the link within 48 hours - a hard copy will be sent to you in the post but you will still receive the SMS text reminders seven days and 48 hours before your appointment.
All subsequent Outpatient clinic appointment letters will be issued as above.
Next time, log in with a username and password to view all your correspondence in one place
If you choose to register for a patient portal account with a username and password, the next time you receive a SMS text notification letter alert, you will instead be invited to log in to your account with your user name and password. You can then view all your correspondence, past and future appointments in one place.
This helpful video explains the process and its benefits
The video below gives helpful instructions on how to access your digital letter
A useful set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are also available to help answer any concerns or queries you may have. Click here to view the FAQs
If you have any comments or concerns about this new way of issuing Outpatient appointment letters, please speak to your specialist cancer team or your Consultant's secretary.
