We are contacting patients who are on our waiting lists to check whether they still need a hospital outpatient appointment. Patients will be sent a text message to their mobile phone which includes a link to an NHS Form to complete. The form will ask for the patient’s date of birth and if an outpatient appointment is still needed. We know that some of our patients may be worried about whether the link is genuine, so we have included information on this page about the text message we are sending out.
Who will the text message come from?
The text message will come from NHS Form.
What will the text message say?
The text will say: “The hospital team looking after you would like to collect some information. Please click the secure link below to complete your form.” The link will go to our patient eforms website (patient-eforms.leedsth.nhs.uk) – every link is unique to each patient so it will also include a series of letters and numbers.
Is my information safe?
Yes, the information you submit will be used to validate our waiting list. Our duty to protect information and confidentiality is taken very seriously. Please see our Fair Processing Notice for more information about how we store and use your data.
We are very sorry about how long you have waited for an appointment, and we recognise that the delay to your medical care may be causing you concern.
We would like to thank you for your patience and assure you that you have not been forgotten. We are reviewing patients on our lists regularly to make sure everyone is seen according to clinical priority, and we will contact you as soon as possible with a date for your appointment. We are prioritising patients who need care more urgently and ask for your understanding with this.
When should I make contact?
Please contact your GP if your condition has become worse while you have been waiting for your initial hospital appointment, or if you are worried about new symptoms. Like the hospital, GP practices are under significant pressure and do not have access to additional hospital appointments, but they will be able to review your symptoms and contact us if you need an appointment sooner.
If you have already had an appointment at Leeds Teaching Hospitals and your symptoms have got worse, please get in touch with the team that you met or spoke to. For non-urgent advice you can also call NHS 111 or access the NHS 111 online tool which will tell you if you need medical help.
If you no longer need an appointment, please complete the NHS Form that we sent by text or contact us using the telephone number on your original appointment letter. This is important, so that we can use that time to see other patients.
Shape Up 4 Surgery
If you are waiting for surgery there are things that you can do that will help how your surgery goes and your recovery afterwards. Our Shape Up 4 Surgery resources provide lots of information and advice about how you can get yourself into shape for surgery, from moving more, to quitting smoking and learning relaxation techniques.
Help and support
If you are unable to complete the form or don’t wish to fill it in, a member of the team will be in touch with you by telephone to confirm if you still need an appointment.