Text message contact to reduce patient waiting times

East Cheshire NHS Trust has begun using SMS text messages to contact patients waiting for treatment and enabling them to make choices about the care they need.

Patients will receive a text message asking them to provide an update of their situation and to confirm whether they still require their appointment.

The text message will come from NHS No Reply and include a unique link to log into the Trust's Patient Portal. By responding to the text, patients will enable their records to be updated by the Trust.

For patients who do not have a mobile phone number recorded, they will receive a letter in the post or a telephone call asking to confirm this information to ensure the correct information is captured.

It is common for health circumstances to change and in this way, patients can easily remove themselves from the waiting list and have their appointment allocated to other patients. 

Patients that do not respond will remain on the waiting list.