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Care Opinion

Telephone appointment confirmation

Posted By Eddie299

"Telephone appointment confirmation"

About: University Hospital Hairmyres / Ear, Nose & Throat University Hospital Monklands / Ear, Nose & Throat (Ward 9) University Hospital Wishaw / Ear, Nose & Throat

(as the patient),

I recently received an appointment confirmation call, unfortunately as I use a streamer through my hearing aids to receive calls I do not always have my phone to hand when calls come in. Therefore I have no keypad to press the confirmatory information requested. Equally someone could be driving and receiving the call on a hands free device, then it would be illegal to touch the phone even if it was within reach. In the interests of at least road safety and the fact your automated system does not know the status of the person being called could some other method not be used for instance sms or Whats app. even email (which would be my preference). If you have the permission to contact that number or email then it is up to the recipient to ensure the security of that number or email before submitting it to you.

There will always be a temptation to take a call while driving even when it if illegal the situation is then compounded when digits have to be accessed and pressed.

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Responses

Response from Rick Edwards, Service Manager Surgical & Critical Care, University Hospital Hairmyres, NHS Lanarkshire 4 years ago
Rick Edwards
Service Manager Surgical & Critical Care, University Hospital Hairmyres,
NHS Lanarkshire

Submitted on 14/06/2019 at 09:26
Published on Care Opinion at 09:26

picture of Rick Edwards

Dear Eddie299,

Thank you for getting in touch through Care Opinion. The appointment reminder service is really important as it helps us reduce wasted appointments and ensures we are able to maximise our capacity to get people seen as quickly as possible; your point about the legality of communicating on a mobile device whilst driving is well made.

We have different models in place around appointment reminders but the one you describe is linked to the Ear, Nose and Throat telephony reminder service that uses automated voice options and a one way text.

People with scheduled appointments who are linked to our current telephone reminder system will get automated calls seven days and six days before their appointment date; this alternates between land line and mobile if registered. Our system automatically sends a one way text five days before the appointment if there has been no response to calls on day seven and six.

If a person is unable to take a call due to circumstances such as driving in your case, the reminder system will make further attempts to make contact as described above.

NHS Lanarkshire is currently rolling out a two way text system for new outpatient appointment bookings. This allows people to cancel their appointment up to four days before their scheduled appointment if it is no longer required; this is a really important advance for us as it allows us to reallocate that appointment to someone else and reduce waiting times.

I wish you well at your forthcoming appointment.

Kind regards

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