Patients will be requested to consent specifically to the use of their mobile number for the purposes of health promotion and appointment reminders, which will be scanned into the clinical system( see consent form below) this is included in the practice registration packs for the patient to inform us of their consent.
Text Messaging Consent Form
Let us know as soon as a mobile telephone number has changed.
Communicating with patients: the Surgery will send SMS texts to the mobile telephone number that has been provided. Patients are responsible for ensuring that the mobile phone number given to the Surgery is correct, up to date and appropriate to be used for all communications that the Surgery may need to make.
There are a number of scenarios in which we may use:
- Appointment reminders, changes or cancellations.
- Flu or other Vaccination clinics for targeted eligible populations
- Annual Review invitations
- Cervical Screening
- Child Immunisation reminders
- Blood Pressure and Cholesterol monitoring
- Smoking Status updates
- Invitations for Patient educational sessions (e.g. diabetic self-help groups)
- Requests to contact the Practice to arrange appointments
- Blood Test and Injection due
- Messages from the GP
- Updates on changes to the Practice such as clinics
Informing Patients of test results or other information relevant to their care (please see further information below Special category data)
Special Category Data
Information such as test results (this includes any results, not just those relating to sexual health tests) or details of medication (ie. information which is specific, sensitive and individual to one person) will only be communicated via SMS messaging with additional consent provided by the patient on those occasions (for example, agreed between patient and GP when arranging a certain investigation during an appointment). This additional consent will be recorded in your medical records at that time.
If you make a request the Reception team for a copy of your results they will be asked to email the Practice written consent for this. The Doctor will need to give them permission for this to be actioned. Your written consent will be scanned onto your record.
Opting Out
We understand that some Patients will not want to receive SMS text messages from us. We ask that patients carefully consider the advantages of receiving these messages before choosing to opt-out. If you do choose to opt out please inform our Receptionists or the Clinician you are seeing.