Home – Patients and visitors – Appointment reminders and digital letters

Appointment reminders and digital letters

Our appointment reminders and digital letters make it easier for you to manage your outpatient appointments and improve communications between you and South Tees NHS Foundation Trust.

Appointment reminders

Patients who have provided us with a mobile phone number will receive appointment reminder via text messages from 07860 039 092.  

We suggest that you save this number as a contact in your address book so you can be sure that these messages are from us.

This text message will:

  • Tell you when and where your appointment will be
  • Whether your appointment is in person or over the phone.
  • Include a secure link to our patient portal where you’ll find everything you need to know ahead of your appointment, including directions

Please read these messages carefully and contact (DrDoctor details) if you require assistance.

Protecting your information

To allow us to deliver this service, our partner DrDoctor will have strictly limited access to your contact details, but not to other information about your healthcare.

DrDoctor is accredited to the highest standards set by the NHS for protecting the healthcare information of UK citizens and is already being used by over 30 NHS trusts.

Learn how we use and protect your health information and read DrDoctor’s privacy policy.

Fraud prevention: patients should take note that we will never ask you for your bank or credit card details.

Find out more

For more information about the service, see the DrDoctor website.

Digital outpatient appointment letters

We have a digital letter service across the trust for outpatient appointments.

Using this service, you will be able to view and download your appointment letters quicker and easier than before on your mobile phone, tablet or computer.

We have partnered with DrDoctor, a digital health company, to deliver this service.

We will send you a text from 07860039092 with a secure link to your outpatient appointment letter. This will be displayed as drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk

If you don’t read your letter on the Patient Portal within 48 hours, a letter will be posted to you automatically.

If you want to view your letter online and, or receive a paper copy, you can reply ‘PRINT’ to your text message. Alternatively visit the ‘settings’ page on the patient portal and turn off the paperless option.

How to view your digital letter

  1. If we have your mobile number we will send you a text message, from 07860 039 092, with a link to your digital outpatient appointment letter
  2. Click the drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.net link in the text message to go to your secure patient portal
  3. Login with your last name, date of birth and postcode and click ‘view letter’
  4. View and download your digital letter. Your letter will be stored here for future reference.

Frequently asked questions

I am not receiving reminders or digital letters.

It is possible that we do not have your correct contact details.

Please check with a member of clinic staff to check we have your correct:

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

If your contact details have changed please tell us by using our online contact details form or let us know the next time you are in hospital. This will ensure that you benefit from all the Patient Portal features. As well as telling us please also tell your GP practice.

I’ve received a digital letter but I can’t 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 us and check we have your most up-to-date: 

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

I can log in but I can’t see my letter?

There are three main reasons why you might be able to login but no letter is showing: 

  1. The letter is for a family member or relative who is registered with the same phone number or email with the hospital 
  2. You are a patient at more than one NHS trust and the details we have for you on our system are not up-to-date for example postcode or the spelling of your last name. If the other NHS trust have the correct details for you, you will automatically be logged into their patient portal. Please contact us and check we have your correct details. 
  3. You are a patient at more than one NHS trust and when logging in chose the wrong hospital from the options. Please log out and login again, choosing South Tees NHS Foundation Trust when prompted. 

How can I view my digital Letter on my tablet or computer?

  1. Enter your last name, date of birth, and postcode and click ‘Let’s go’ 
  2. Select the phone number you would like us to send your one-time code to 
  3. Enter the one-time code you receive and click ‘Let’s go’ 
  4. Go to ‘Letters in the top left 
  5. Find the letter you want to view and click ‘View letter’ 

Does it cost me to reply to a text message? 

Text message replies will be free if patients have a text message bundle with their provider. Otherwise, they will be charged at their provider’s standard rate.

I’ve logged into the online patient portal, but I can’t see all my appointments

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.

How do I know it’s not a scam?

All of our digital letter invites come from the same mobile phone number: 07860 039 092.

The link to view your digital letter starts with drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/.