Take more control of your treatment
We work with DrDoctor, a digital health company, to provide our patient engagement portal.
The portal puts you in the driving seat of your hospital care in the most convenient way – making it easier for you to manage your outpatient appointments through the touch of a button on your smartphone, tablet or desktop PC.
We use it to text patients who are waiting for an outpatient appointment to see if they still need their appointment or procedure and to send text message outpatient appointment reminders and digital outpatient appointment letters.
If we do not have your mobile number, or you have opted out from text messages, you will continue to receive paper letters in the post. It is an entirely optional service – it gives you the control to choose how we contact you.
You can opt out of receiving digital communications via the portal any point.
You can find answers to the most common questions below.
Digital letters
1. What are digital letters?
- allow patients to view their 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 that we are using
- reduce our environmental impact
2. What can I expect?
You will receive new style text messages via your mobile phone, from which you will be able to access our online patient portal by following the link included in the text/email.
From the patient portal, you can:
view location information and time of appointment
view clinic information about your upcoming appointment
add your appointment to your calendar
view all upcoming appointment details in one place
continue to have easy access to digital outpatient letters
3. How do I view my digital letter?
- Click the secure link in your text message to be directed to the patient portal
- Click “view letter” and log in with your last name, date of birth and postcode
- Your new digital letter will download as a PDF and should open automatically. If this doesn’t happen, you can find and view your letter in your devices’ ‘Downloads’ area.
Your letters will be stored on the DrDoctor patient portal for future reference.
You can also log in from any device by visiting the patient portal directly. When logging in to the patient portal directly, we will send a code to your mobile phone number for security purposes.
4. How can I receive paper letters?
Patients who prefer paper letters can still receive their letters by post. We will automatically send you a paper letter if you don’t view your digital letter within three days. If you want to view your letter online and receive a paper letter by post you can also request a printed letter by:
- Replying PRINT to your original text message notifying you that you have a new digital letter
- Logging into your secure patient portal, going to the “settings” menu in the top right, and turning off the paperless option
If you change your mind at any time and want to receive your information digitally again, you can reply DIGITAL to the original text message. You can also log into the secure patient portal, go into the “settings” menu and turn on the paperless option 5.
5. If I get a digital outpatient letter, will I also get a letter in the post?
If you open and read your digital outpatient letter within three days of receiving it, you will not get a printed letter in the post. If you would like to receive an appointment letter by post, please reply to the text message you have received with “PRINT.” If you do this, you will get a digital letter and a printed outpatient letter.
6. I’ve received a text message/email with an nhs.my link in it saying that I have a new digital letter. Is this from the hospital?
Yes. They will be sent by a company we are working with called DrDoctor. They will send patients text messages from the number 07860 039 092 and emails containing a “drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk” link.
This link is unique to patients for their digital letter so will look something like “https://drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/wQVZvxhYG25ZZ”.
7. How can I receive email reminders?
You can add your email address via the patient portal, under the “settings” menu, to receive email reminders as well as text message reminders.
If you cannot get online, please let us know at reception or the next time you speak to us, and we can update it for you.
8. I have received a digital letter but can’t log in to view it even though I am entering the right name, date of birth and postcode.
This is usually due to the trust having the wrong contact details for patients on our patient administration system.
Please check we have your correct last name, date of birth, postcode, mobile number and email address. We sync with DrDoctor regularly so these details will work for patients trying to log in soon.
General FAQ
1. What is DrDoctor?
DrDoctor is a digital health company that aims to modernise how hospitals and patients communicate. Their platform provides a convenient way for patients to manage their appointments while reducing costs and saving time.
2. How secure is it?
All information is held securely and cannot be accessed without the correct login details, like internet banking.
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.
More information can be found in DrDoctor’s privacy policy.
3. What do I need to do?
Make sure that we have your up-to-date mobile number and email address, so that we can contact you. Ask the receptionist to check we have these details when you have your next appointment.
4) I have a new mobile number – can I update it?
You can update your contact details at either one of the links below in the “settings” menu. If you cannot get online, please let us know and we can update it for you. DrDoctor patient portal.
5) Why were digital letters and text notifications introduced?
Improve how we communicate with our patients
Deliver letters to patients faster
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
Provide a text reminder to patients before their appointments
6. 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.
7. I don’t want to receive digital letters or text reminders. Can I opt out?
Yes, you can either visit the patient portal at any time update your settings. Please go to the “settings” menu and look for the “go paperless” section. Move the slider under “GO paperless” to “NO”.
This means you will receive your appointment letters by post in the future, however please note that doing it this way, you would still receive text messages to say you have a letter that will be posted. If you don’t wish to receive any text messages whatsoever you will need to contact us directly so we can switch it off at the source.
It is important to note that we will be able to communicate with you quicker about your forthcoming appointments if your contact settings are digital.
In addition, if you do not click on the link in the text message or email within three days of receiving it, you will automatically receive an appointment letter by post.
8) I opted to go paperless but I would like to receive printed letters again- how do I do this?
If you would like to receive printed letters by post again you can do this by logging in to the patient portal, going to the “settings” menu and turning off paperless letters. You can also reply with the word “DIGITAL” to your text message.
9) I want to view my digital letter on my laptop or computer. Can I do this?
Yes, patients can access the patient portal from any device and navigate to the “letters” section. When using this, for additional security, we will send patients a one-time code to their mobile number.
10. Does it cost me to reply to the hospital?
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.
11. Is it possible to view all my appointments at the hospital in one place?
Yes, by visiting the patient portal you will be able to view your appointments and add them to your personal calendar.
Note the portal could show some appointments which may change due to service need keep up to date with any amendments .
12) What can I do on the online portal?
If you have an appointment the online portal allows you to:
View and download appointment letters
View the location of your appointment
View important clinical information
Add your appointment to your personal calendar
Receive appointment reminders
13. What are the benefits of the online patient portal?
The patient portal ensures that appointment information is never lost and is easily accessible wherever you are and whenever you need it. Going paperless means that you are supporting the NHS to be more environmentally friendly.
14) What device will I need to access the online patient portal?
You will need to use a smart phone or another digital device (e.g. tablet or computer) that is connected to the Internet. If you are not connected to a Wi-Fi network, please be aware that data charges may apply.
15. How is my data handled?
To enable us to deliver this service, DrDoctor will have access to your contact information but not detailed information about your health.
Please see section 2 ‘How secure is it?’ for more information.
16. How do I know it is 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 “https://nhs.my/uhb”.
17. I have logged in but can’t view my letter, I am receiving a “404 error” message.
This could be because:
- The letter is for a family member or relative who is registered with the same phone number or email with the hospital
- You are a patient at more than one NHS trust and when you logged in you choose the wrong trust portal to log in to (DrDoctor support a number of hospital trusts across the country).
18. 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.
19. Why have I been sent a code to my mobile?
If you are using a device that is not your mobile number we will, for additional security, send a one-time code to the registered patient mobile number which can be validated by last name, date of birth, and postcode.
This will also occur if you are using a direct link from a notification message that is more than seven days old. This is standard security practice.
Digital text reminders
1. I am not receiving SMS reminders – should I be?
If we have the most recent mobile number for you then you should receive reminders by text message. Visit the patient portal and update your contact details in the “settings” menu to make sure your details are correct.
2. How can I stop receiving text reminders?
You can also personalise the messages you receive by visiting the patient portal 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 contact the trust to let us know you no longer want to receive digital messages, we can remove consent from your records.
3. I accidentally replied STOP to a text message and have stopped receiving text message reminders. How do I start receiving these again?
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 preferences by visiting the online portal and updating your settings.