Appointment Reminder Service

The Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust have launched an appointment reminder service, where an automated call or text message will be sent to your landline or mobile reminding you that you have a hospital appointment.

Why have we launched this service?

It is important that the Trust continually works to ensure its appointment capacity is managed to accommodate as many patients as possible. In 2011/12, 101,976 patients did not attend their appointments either because they forgot the date or failed to let us know that they no longer needed to be seen. This figure represented 10% of the Trust’s total capacity.

In line with the Trust’s access policy, patients who do not attend their appointments may be referred back to their GP and will have to seek re-referral in order to continue their treatment. Using the reminder service, the Trust will be able to notify patients of their upcoming appointments and give them the opportunity to cancel or rearrange if required. This will help us to see more patients, more quickly.

How it works

If we hold details of your mobile telephone number in our records we will send you a free text message one week before your appointment. The text will also offer the option for you to request a cancellation or rearrange the appointment. If you do not have a mobile telephone, we can send a voice mail direct to your land line

Are all clinics included?

We are planning to undertake a phased introduction of the new reminder service; therefore, not all clinics will be included initially. Some groups of patients, will be exempt and will not receive a reminder.

How to register for the service

If we hold a mobile or land line number for you on our Patient Administration System, and your appointments are booked via the Referral and Booking Service, then you may be included in the reminder service.

Opting out of the reminder service

If you do not wish to receive a text message reminder, you can opt of the service. You can do this by texting STOP to any reminder you receive, completing the opt out form online, letting a clinic receptionist know next time you visit clinic, or by calling the Referral Booking Service on the number on your appointment letter. If you are unsure of our contact details please click on this link for our contact details.

How we will use your information?

Your contact details allow us to contact you about appointment bookings, appointment cancellations or to remind you of your forthcoming appointments. The contact information we store will only be used by us in relation to hospital business and we will not pass on your information to any other party other than the third party company used to deliver our free of charge appointment reminder service, who are also obliged to keep your information secure and used only for that purpose. All personal information will be kept in line with Department of Health retention period policy.

Cost of the service

It is free to receive the call and text message, however if you choose to respond to the call or text message your telephone line or mobile phone provider will charge you at your standard rates.