Our Trust has launched a new Patient Engagement Portal (PEP), from the provider DrDoctor.

DrDoctor will notify you through text when you have a new appointment, will remind you of your appointments in the days before and allows you to reschedule or cancel if you need to.

The PEP will also allow the Trust to contact you via text message if an appointment you are on a waiting list for becomes available.

All Text messages will come from the number 07860 039 092. This number is genuine and can be trusted. We recommend you save this number so that your phone knows when you get messages from us.

The introduction of the PEP is intended to lead to better patient experience, with faster notifications and reducing non-attendances in outpatient clinics. Enabling digital letters allows us to let you know immediately when you have an appointment, whilst saving NHS money by reducing paper and postage.

Phased Approach

It is important to note that PEP is in a pilot phase, therefore this is currently only available for appointments with the Ear, Nose and Throat department. More services will be available to view in the PEP throughout 2025 and this page will be kept up to date with the latest services available.

What will change as more services go live?

Throughout 2025, the Trust will be introducing more services to the PEP. Once a service is live, when you are given an appointment, you will be notified about this through text message with a link to view your appointment letter online. The system will ask you for your name, date of birth and postcode to check it’s you. You will also get text reminders in the days before your appointment, with the option to let us know if you would like to cancel or reschedule your appointment.

Your appointment will also be visible the NHS app, making it easy to see your information from the hospital and your GP all in one place.

Accessing the PEP for the first time

You can access the PEP here. The PEP will ask for your last name, date of birth and postcode. You will then need to confirm your mobile number through entering a verification code, before accepting a privacy notice.

Please check you are using the correct link.  The details you are asked to enter are based on the records we have at the hospital, so if the system is saying your details aren’t recognised, please call us to check we have the most recent information for you. Similarly, when confirming your mobile number, you will need to call us directly if this has changed.

Find out more – Watch our online videos

Online Letters

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Viewing Your Letter Online

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Receiving Letters

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Frequently Asked Questions

A PEP is designed to help us as a care provider communicate with you, as a patient. This includes notifications through text/email about appointments, as well as adding the information to the NHS app. In the future, it will also allow us to do other things such as sending you forms to complete, saving you time.

Text messages will come from 07860 039 092. This number is genuine and can be trusted. We recommend you save this number for future reference.

When you access the PEP, it will need to check your record to make sure they have the correct patient in the area. It will do this by asking for your name, date of birth and postcode. The details you are asked to enter are based on the records we have at the hospital, so if the system is saying your details aren’t recognised, please call us to check we have the most recent information for you.

The PEP is only currently live in our Ear Nose and Throat service, therefore, only patients attending appointments in this service will receive communications from the system. As more services go live throughout 2025, more patients will benefit from the system.

If you are a patient in a live service and are still not receiving digital communications then it is important to check we have the right contact details for you. Please call us directly to do this.

Yes, you can still get a paper copy of your appointment letter. You will need to reply “Print” to the text message. If you don’t view your digital letter, we will send you a copy in the post. You can also opt out of all digital communication by replying “Stop”. This will mean you will be sent paper copies every time.

You can also call us on 01743 261044 to change your options.

Currently, the PEP is only being used for letters about appointments. Letters about your care, such as appointment summaries, will still be posted to you.

Please make sure you contact our booking team to let us know of your requirements. The team can then add an accessibility alert to your record.

We are committed to providing information in formats that meet accessibility needs. If you have an accessibility alert on your record, then depending on the type of alert, you will either receive your letter digitally, on paper, or both.

We can deliver the following accessibility requirements digitally:

  • large font: letters will be delivered digitally in large font
  • easy read: letters will be delivered digitally in easy read
  • yellow background format: letters will be delivered digitally with a yellow background
  • braille: letters will be available digitally but will also be sent to you through the post
  • audio: letters will be available digitally but will also be sent to you through email

You don’t need the NHS app to view the information sent to you from the Patient Portal through text messages.

However, if you are registered with a GP in England, you can also view your information through the app. This includes information from your GP as well as our hospitals.

It is recommended you allow notifications from the NHS App to get the full use of the service.

Updating your contact details on the PEP will only update them for the PEP notifications you receive, and not for any other information about your care. This is because the PEP cannot send updates to our main hospital system. Therefore, it is important that you update your details with us directly to make sure you are getting all the information you need.

No – you will need to update your details directly with us, either through the patient portal or through calling us directly. Updating your details on the NHS app will only update your details with your GP.

DrDoctor is a secure communication platform used by the Trust. It tells service users about appointments digitally and provides important healthcare information. DrDoctor will have access to your contact information but not any information about your health. It adheres to strict privacy and security standards to protect your information. Your data is only accessible to authorised healthcare professionals involved in your care.

For more information on the PEP privacy policy and data protection, please visit Privacy Policy – DrDoctor.

If you view or manage your hospital appointments (e.g. referrals) via the NHS App the Trust shares your data with NHS England who operate the NHS App and provide this functionality, known as NHS Wayfinder services. For more information, see the NHS Wayfinder services privacy policy.