Text message reminders and digital letters portal
We’re introducing text message appointment reminders and an online portal giving you access to digital letters over the coming months. The text you receive will come from +44 7860 039092.
From this same mobile number, some patients may have received a text message signposting services that support quitting smoking or staying well whilst waiting for bone and joint surgery at West Suffolk Hospital. These text messages are genuine if they are from +44 7860 039092, so please feel secure to follow the optional instructions within the text message.
Login to our online portal to view information about your hospital letters. Get online by following the link in your text messages or by visiting drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/wsh
Once online you can:
You can now use your NHS login details to access DrDoctor
The NHS login service can now be used by patients to securely access their health and care information via the DrDoctor platform – providing a single, trusted login account which is convenient for patients and, because it’s been developed by the NHS, your health and care data is protected.
To use NHS login to sign into the DrDoctor platform, you need to have an NHS login account. If you have one already, you can use your details directly to sign in with DrDoctor. If you don’t have your NHS login registered yet, you can create one online. To create an NHS login account, click on the “Continue with NHS Login” button. You will be prompted to enter your email address. The system will recognise that you do not have an NHS login and will take you through several steps to create one.
To find out more information about creating an NHS login, please visit https://help.login.nhs.uk/setupnhslogin/
To set up an NHS login, you will need an email address and a mobile phone number. A six-digit security code will be sent to your email and you will be asked to enter this code to verify your email address and continue. Next, you will be asked to provide your mobile phone number. Another 6-digit security code will be sent by text message to your mobile phone. Currently, an NHS login cannot be set up without a mobile phone.
Accessing DrDoctor via the NHS login requires the highest level of verification. To be verified to the highest level, you must complete an online identify verification process where a comparison between your photo ID and yourself has been made.
Text messages
Changing or cancelling your appointment online
You can now change and cancel your appointment through our online portal. This is live in most clinics.
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Follow the link in your text message or visit drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/wsh to login.
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To log in insert your name, date of birth and postcode. We may send you a one-time code to check it is really you. Enter this into the webpage.
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Once online you can request to change or cancel your appointment.
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We’ll review this request and you’ll receive a text message confirming if we could make this change or not.
If it is too close to your appointment, or you need transport or a translator you will need to call us on 01284 713713 to change your appointment.
To get online we need your correct details on our system. Please check with our receptionists if we have your correct:
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Full name
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Date of Birth
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Postcode
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Mobile phone number
If you are having trouble logging in, please see our FAQs below.
Digital letters
How to view your digital letter
1. We’ll send you a text message when you have a new digital letter to view online.
2. Click the drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/wsh link in your text message to go to your secure patient portal
3. Click ‘View letter’ and log in with your Last name, date of birth and postcode
4. View and download your new digital letter online as a PDF. Your letters will be stored here for future reference
5. You can login from any device by visiting drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/wsh. When using a different device, we will send a code to your mobile phone number for security.
How to receive paper letters
Patients who prefer paper letters can still receive their letters by post as usual.
We will automatically send you a paper letter if you don’t view your digital letter.
If you want to view your letter online and receive a paper letter by post you can request a paper letter by:
1. Logging into your secure patient portal, going to the ‘Settings’ tab in the top right, and turn off the paperless option
2. Reply PRINT to your text message notifying you that you have a new digital letter
Why are we introducing digital letters?
We are introducing digital letters to allow us to:
- Let you view you letters quickly and easily
- Reduce confusion from lost letters or letters arriving in the wrong order
- Save the NHS money by reducing the amount of paper and stamps we are using
- Reduce our environmental impact
FAQs
To access the online portal, we need your correct details on our system. Please contact 01284 713713 and check we have your correct:
• Full name
• Date of Birth
• Postcode
• Mobile phone number
There are several reasons why you may not be able to request to change or cancel your appointment. We’ve listed a few here:
• It is too close to your appointment
• This service is not available in the specialty where you have your appointment
• If you need transport assistance for your appointment
• If you need a translator for your appointment
In these circumstances please contact us on the phone number in your text message or on the online patient portal.
If your appointment has just been booked, please be aware it can take up to 24 hours for your appointment to appear on the online portal.
This service is currently only available in urology and neurology specialties. We hope to offer this service in other areas going forward.
You may not receive reminders if we don’t have your correct mobile number. Please contact 01284 713713 and check we have your correct:
• Full name
• Date of Birth
• Postcode
• Mobile phone number
You can personalise your communication by visiting nhs.my/WSH and updating your settings. If you do not have access to the internet, you can reply STOP to any message that you receive, which will end text message reminders.
If you have accidentally ended text message reminders by replying STOP, you can receive these reminders again by replying UNSTOP to the last message you received from us.
You can also personalise your communication by visiting nhs.my/WSFT and updating your settings.
You can update your contact details at nhs.my/WSH in the settings menu.
If you cannot get online, please contact XXXXXX and check we have your most up-to-date mobile number.
Please contact 01284 713713 to give your new mobile number.
Text message replies will be free if you have a text message bundle with your provider otherwise you will be charged at your provider’s standard rate.
You can also request to change and cancel your appointment online for free by following the link in your text messages or using nhs.my/WSH
If you would like to receive reminders by email, you can log in to nhs.my/WSH and change your setting to email.
We use your mobile number to send you text message appointment confirmation messages, appointment cancellation messages and reminders about your upcoming appointments. Our trusted partner – DrDoctor – will send a text message with the details of your appointment.
We also use your mobile number as part of our secure log in for the online patient portal.
DrDoctor is an online service which helps transform the way hospitals communicate with patients. Using DrDoctor allows patients to manage their appointments, saving time and providing an overall better patient experience.
The website link will lead you to the online patient portal. You can also log online by going to nhs.my/WSH
Once online you will be able to request to change and cancel your appointments, access maps, and read important clinic information.
To enable us to deliver this service, DrDoctor will have access to your contact information but not to detailed information about your health.
DrDoctor is accredited to the highest standards set by the NHS for protecting the healthcare information of UK citizens. For more information, see the https://my.drdoctor.co.uk/privacy.
Please be aware that by submitting your personal details the Trust will use these for other healthcare purposes i.e. to send appointment letters or post-appointment/surgical surveys. It is advisable that you do not use a shared mobile number or email address as your confidential health information will be available to others to view. Please view our privacy pages for more details www.wsh.nhs.uk/Privacy