Text reminders from GP practices

GP Practices in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale are piloting a new text messaging service to help reduce the number of missed appointments.

Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust (HMRPCT) is investing £25,000 to fund the initiative, known as iPLATO Patient Care Messaging. This service will enable practices to send a reminder text message to patients who have supplied their mobile phone number 24 hours in advance. If a patient is unable to attend the appointment, they can notify the practice by simply replying to the message.

GP practices will also be able to use the service to prompt patients to attend check up appointments.

Vivienne Ben-David, head of primary care at HMRPCT, said: “It’s really important that patients attend their GP appointments or cancel them if they cannot attend. The Patient Care Messaging service will help us to reduce the number of wasted appointments and pass cancellations on to patients who really need them. Of course we will be evaluating the effectiveness of the service during its pilot stage and will be welcoming feedback from patients.”