Digital communications

Since early 2022, the NHS has been impacted through disruption to supply change for stationery stock. This means that paper and envelopes are now a limited resource.

We would like to thank all our patients for adapting to receiving outpatient appointment letters by SMS, which helps to reserve the now limited paper and envelope stock for those patients where posted appointment letters are essential for them.

We will send you a text message with a drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/OUH link, which allows you to view and download your appointment letters on your mobile phone, tablet or computer.

If you have a mobile number registered with the Trust then SMS message will become the most common method to communicate with you for:

• online outpatient appointment letters
• online self-assessment forms.

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

Patients who prefer paper letters can still receive the above communication by post as usual.

Online letters

How to view your online appointment letters

• We'll send you a text message (and email if requested) when you have a new digital appointment letter to view online.
• Click the drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/OUH link in your text message to go to the secure DrDoctor website.
• Click 'View letter' and log in with your last name, date of birth and post code.
• View and download your new digital letter online as a pdf file. Your outpatient appointment letters will be stored here for future reference.

You can log in from any device by visiting drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/OUH.

When using a different device, we will send a code to your mobile phone number for security.

Paper letters

How to receive paper appointment letters

Patients who prefer paper appointment letters can still receive their appointment letters by post. 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:

• log into drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/OUH, go to the 'Settings' tab in the top right, and turn off the paperless option.
• reply PRINT to your text message notifying you that you have a new online appointment letters. The system will know to post the most recent outpatient letter to you.

Self-assessment

How to complete online self-assessment forms

When invited to complete a self-assessment form online, we will send you an SMS text message to invite you to complete the form from 'OUH-NHS'.

• Use the drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/OUH link in the text message on your mobile phone, tablet, laptop or computer, and log in with your last name, date of birth and post code.
• Once logged in, please complete the form as accurately as possible.
• Following form completion, your answers will be reviewed by the Trust and we will get back to you with an outcome.
• If you miss a text message, don't worry: we'll send you a letter in the post.
• If you change your mind and wish to change your form response, please contact us. Digital letter queries: 01865 222666.

Further information

SMS text messages

Ensuring a message is genuine

SMS text messages will always come from the same mobile phone number: 07860 039 092.

The link to view your online appointment letters or complete your assessment form will be:

drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/OUH

Cost of replies

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 change your digital letter setting online for free by following the link in your text messages or using:

drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/OUH

Login problems

The most common reasons for login problems are:

• the appointment letter is for a child/relative - please use their date of birth to verify
• we have your old address on our system
• we have a temporary address for you which requires an end date.

If you cannot log in, please call/email our Patient Contact Centre and check we have your up-to-date:

• full name
  
• date of birth
  
• post code
  
• mobile phone number.

404 error message

You may get a 404 error message if:

• the appointment letter is for a child/relative
  
• you are a patient at more than one NHS trust and chose the wrong Trust website to log into - please ensure you access the login page through the drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/OUH login page linked in your message.

Viewing your letter on a different device

If you have received a text on your smartphone:

• hold your finger on the text until the copy option appears
  
• select the text (if necessary)
  
• press 'copy'
  
• open a new email and address it to yourself
  
• in the body of the email, hold your finger in the free text space until the 'paste' option appears
  
• press paste and send yourself an email to open on a different device.

Emails

If DrDoctor / the Trust has an email address for you, you will also receive an invitation to view your online appointment letters via email.

To give DrDoctor your email address, update your contact details in the settings menu at drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/OUH:

• log into drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/OUH
  
• go to 'Settings' (top right)
  
• select 'Add new'
  
• select 'Email'
  
• type your email address
  
• select 'Add'.

It is not possible to receive emails without also receiving an SMS text message.

Updating your details on the DrDoctor website does not immediately update your patient record with the Trust. If you need to change your contact details for the Trust, please contact the Trust as well as your GP.

Children / young people

We address correspondence to the patient, rather than their parent/guardian, when they turn 16. Please tell us when the patient wishes to provide their own mobile number for this purpose.

About DrDoctor

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

To enable us to deliver this service, we give DrDoctor only enough information to provide you with these services.

For full details please see DrDoctor's Privacy Policy.