Using DrDoctor

Our Trust has expanded our new digital appointment system to most adult and paediatric services on both our hospital sites.

DrDoctor alerts patients to new appointments, and allows them to reschedule or cancel, where necessary, on their smartphone. Patients will also be able to access appointment letters on their smartphone. The system is intended to improve the patient experience, but will also reduce non-attendances, cut unnecessary calls, and better use staff time.

See appointment letters on your phone

View and download your hospital letters instantly on your mobile phone, tablet or computer with our new digital letter service. 

You will receive a text message notifying you that you have a new letter to view online. Simply log in to our secure patient portal to view and download your letter. 

To help save paper and postage, if you view a letter online, we won’t send you the letter by post. If you would also like to receive your letter by post, you can request this online.

If you don’t view your letter online, we will send it to you by post.

For more details on viewing your letters online see the how-to guide below.

How-to guide

Allowing you to view and download your letters online helps us to:

• Deliver appointment letters instantly
• Reduce confusion from lost letters or letters arriving in the wrong order
• Save the NHS money by reducing the amount of paper and postage we are using
• Reduce our environmental impact 

How do I view my digital letter?

• You will receive a text message notifying you that you have a new digital letter to view online. If we have your email you will also get an email
• Follow the link in the text message to our secure patient portal and log in with your name, date of birth and postcode
• To check it is really you, we may send a unique one-time code to your mobile phone number
• View and download your new digital letter online as a PDF—all your digital letters will be stored here on our patient portal

How do I request a printed letter?

If you don’t view your digital letter online, we will automatically send you one by post. If you view your letter online, we won’t post you a printed letter unless you request this one of the following ways:

• Log in to our secure patient portal, go to settings tab at the top right and turn off the 'view your appointment letters online' option
• Reply PRINT to your text message notifying you that you have a new digital letter

How do I go paperless?

To receive all your future letters digitally, please opt to go paperless one of the following ways:

• Log in to our secure patient portal, go to the settings tab at the top right and turn on the 'view your appointment letters online' option
• Reply DIGITAL to your text message notifying you that you have a new digital letter

FAQs 

I’ve received a text message with a link to the online patient portal—why can’t I log in with my details?

If you have followed the link in your text messages and cannot log in with your correct details, we probably do not have your most up-to-date details on our system. Please contact the relevant reception and check we have your most up-to-date:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Postcode
• Mobile number 

I am not receiving text messages with digital letters—should I be?

This service operates for most services at both sites. If you are not receiving either appointment reminder text messages or digital letter text messages, we may not have your correct mobile number on our system. Please contact the relevant reception department and check we have your most up-to-date mobile number.  

I am have changed my mobile number—how can I add my new number to the system?

You can update your contact details at secure patient portal in the settings menu. If you cannot get online, please contact the relevant reception and check we have your most up-to-date mobile number, and correct name, postcode, and date of birth. 

Does it cost me to reply to a text message?

Text message replies are free if you have a text message bundle with your provider otherwise you will be charged at your provider’s standard rate. 

You can change your digital letter setting online for free by following the link in your text messages or, if you cannot get online, by contacting the relevant reception and checking we have your most up-to-date mobile number and correct name, postcode and date of birth. 

Can I receive email notifications about my digital letters as well as text messages?

If we have your email address, we will also email you.

What is DrDoctor?

DrDoctor is a digital health company modernising how hospitals and patients communicate. They provide a convenient way for patients to manage your appointments while reducing costs, saving time and developing better overall experiences for patients. 

What is on the website link at the end of my text?

The website link will lead you to the online patient portal. You can also log online by visiting the secure patient portal.

Once online you will be able to request to change and cancel your appointments, view your digital appointment letters, access maps and read important clinic information.

How is my data handled?

To enable us to deliver this service, we give DrDoctor only enough information to provide you with these services. DrDoctor is accredited by the NHS for protecting the healthcare information of UK citizens—find out more.