Patients asked to share email for digital letters

We are asking patients who use our outpatient services to confirm their mobile phone number (and email, if available) so that patients have the option to receive digital appointment letters.

In the coming weeks, patients may receive a short text message from Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust asking them to share their email address via a link to our Patient Portal which is provided by a partner organisation called DrDoctor.

The text message will be from phone number 07860 039 092. Please save this number in your phone as Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust so that you know future messages are from us.

This is part of our work to collect the contact information of patients who wish to receive appointment letters via email.

In the future, patients will be able to choose to receive information solely via email, however while this work is taking place, patients may receive information via multiple channels, including text, email and post.

You can change your mind at any time about how you wish to be contacted.

Patients who prefer paper letters can still receive letters by post and choose not to share their email address.

What are digital appointment letters?

Digital appointment letters allow patients to view and download appointment letters online.

This means letters are sent to patients via text (and email, if available) with a secure link to their digital appointment letter on our Patient Portal which is called DrDoctor.

Patient letters are stored on the secure DrDoctor Patient Portal where they can be accessed at any time.

You can access the Dr Doctor Patient Portal using any smartphone, computer or tablet. There’s no need to sign up for an account or download any software, all you need to do is follow the secure link sent by Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

We will automatically send you a paper letter if you don’t view your digital letter within three days.

Benefits of digital letters

• Patients receive appointment information sooner
• We can get in touch at short notice, for example to let you know about any changes or cancellations
• The risk of letters being lost or arriving in the wrong order is reduced
• Saving NHS money and reducing environmental impact
• We can provide a text reminder to patients before their appointments.

Further information

If you would like to talk to someone about updating your contact information or about how you wish to be contacted, please phone the Booking Centre - 01793 604080 or email gwh.emailverification@nhs.net

For information about managing your appointments, visit our website www.gwh.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/appointments/drdoctor-and-managing-your-appointment/

For information about using the DrDoctor Patient Portal, please visit www.drdoctor.co.uk/for-patients