You can still receive appointment letters and texts as long as we have your details. Please ensure that we have your current address and up-to-date telephone numbers when you next speak to us.

You can access the NHS App by logging in through the NHS website. You do not need to download the app, or a smartphone to access your account this way. However, you will need an email account to set up an account and access to a mobile or landline phone to receive a security code.
 
You can also call the Appointment Booking Centre (ABC) team on 0191 282 4444, or the relevant service to change or cancel your appointments.

You can access the NHS App using your smartphone and tablet via the Google Play or App store. You can also access the same services in a web browser by logging in through the NHS website. If you have accessibility requirements (e.g visual impairments) it is recommended you use the NHS website option to get the best out of accessibility features.

If you have not registered your mobile number with the clinic you are being cared for at, you can call the ABC team on 0191 282 4444 to register it.

Once you have created an account for the NHS App, you may not be able to see certain sections of your account. If you have not proven who you are, you will see a message after logging in to the NHS App or through the NHS website. It will ask you to prove your identity to get full access. If you do not see this message, you already have full access.
 

Your GP surgery chooses the level of detail available for you to see in their health record. They may also choose to switch off features, like appointment booking, if they need to. More information can be found on this NHS.uk page: Proving who you are to get full access to the NHS App.

You will need to make sure you have downloaded the NHS App and activated your account. You can also use a computer (or the internet browser on your device) to access your account.

The only way a patient/carer/guardian will know which (and who’s) appointment the text message reminder is referring to is by logging into the NHS App to view the accounts linked to the telephone number.

The NHS App’s accessibility statement can be found on the NHS.uk website. 
On a phone or tablet, you can use the built-in Apple iOS or Android accessibility settings to make some parts of the NHS App more accessible. You can also log in from the NHS website.

By changing the settings on your web browser or computer you should be able to:

• change colours, contrast levels and fonts
• zoom in up to 200% with the text staying visible on the screen
• navigate most of the website using just a keyboard
• navigate most of the website using speech recognition software
• listen to most of the website using a screen reader, including the latest versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver

NHS England regularly test the content to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 on both mobile and desktop devices. They follow the NHS service manual guidance on accessible design. They also try to make text as simple as possible to understand, following the NHS style guide. 

If you find any problems or you think the NHS App does not meet accessibility requirements, email [email protected]. They will aim to respond to all enquiries within 72 hours.

We want to ensure every patient has the experience of using the NHS App to manage their appointments.

The service is being rolled out across outpatient departments at Newcastle Hospitals, before being introduced for other appointments. There are some outpatient appointments which aren’t included, for example paediatric appointments, those part of a treatment regime or multiple appointments over a short space of time, or very sensitive or complex appointments. 

If your mobile number is registered, and you do not live at a protected address, you will receive a SMS text message informing you of their appointment. Within the message it will tell you if the appointment is in-person, telephone or virtual. In the message there is a link to the NHS App. Once clicked it will open the app, and you will see specific appointment information, including the appointment type and if relevant the location.

You will still receive an appointment letter if you do not access the appointment in the NHS App. This will help reduce the number of patients arriving on site for a telephone appointment and vice versa.

You will only begin to see your appointments when the service providing your care is activated. It is likely you will only see some of your appointments at Newcastle Hospitals while the rollout is taking place with different services. Initially this will just be outpatient appointments.

Yes. You need to provide a reason why you would like to rearrange or cancel an appointment. This helps staff to know why a request has been made and how the new appointment time can work better for you – for example to avoid rescheduling to another time you may struggle to attend.

When appointments are made for a patient to be seen in an outpatient setting, they are made by Newcastle Hospitals staff and can be viewed in the NHS App.

eReferral is the system used by a patient’s GP to refer them to Newcastle Hospitals for a new appointment. Patients can book or amend some of their appointments on the eReferral system themselves. Further support can be found on the NHS e-Referral Service: NHS England Digital website.

Due to Information Governance and privacy, the text messages and in-app notifications patients receive from the NHS App will never contain the specific details of what the appointment is for (e.g dermatology) or where it is taking place (e.g Freeman Hospital). 

The only way you can identify what the appointment is for, where it is taking place, or whether it is for yourself or someone else you have under your care (e.g an elderly parent), is by opening the NHS App account. More information on how to link someone’s account to another can be found on the NHS App website.
 
Reminder – Currently, if a patient has not read their letter on the NHS App within 72 hours of it being sent to the NHS App, they will receive a printed version in the post.

Currently there is no way to be excluded from the text message/NHS App notifications, which ask patients to view their account. If you choose to ignore the messages, you will still receive your appointment letters and your appointment data will still be available in their NHS account, if you decide to login at another time – whether that is via the NHS App or through the NHS website. 

You can find out more about how your data is used, and view or change your data sharing preferences on the NHS.uk website – Choosing your data sharing preferences.

If you do not access your appointments through the NHS App, you will still receive paper copies of your letters.
 
Reminder – If you do not read your letter on the NHS App within 72 hours of it being sent to the NHS App, you will receive a printed version in the post.
 
If you do access your letters through the app, you will not receive a paper copy. This helps Newcastle Hospitals reduce its carbon footprint and means you can access your information instantly.

It’s likely you will receive a text message/NHS App notification before your appointment letter in the post. As you will still receive appointment letters if you don’t open the appointment in the NHS App within 3 days, you may also receive multiple letters when rescheduling appointments.

When accessing appointment letters in the NHS App, you can choose to switch to going paperless and just receiving their letters through the app and not via the post. If the patient has chosen the option to receive printed, paper appointment letters, they will continue to receive them in this format.

You should call the Appointment Booking Centre and speak to a member of staff to have this checked and confirmed.

Yes. The past appointments will show from when the Trust started to load appointments into the NHS App. For Newcastle Hospitals, this will be from March 2023. The maximum period the app will show past appointment information is eight years. When information reaches that point it will no longer be displayed in the app.

You will be shown appointment details, and any documentation or questionnaires associated with past outpatient appointments.

An appointment will be classed as past in the NHS App after midnight on the day of the appointment. This allows the appointment to be viewed as normal in the app on the day of the appointment.

If the feature becomes unavailable, NHS App users will be advised to try again later. If there is still a problem, patients should contact the national service desk or send a message through the online form.

Some of a patient’s past appointment information may not be visible in the NHS App. The help screen in the app will provide details of what to do if you cannot find your information. Patients can also contact the NHS Trust.

If you have any remaining questions or require additional support, you can call the Appointment Booking Centre on 0191 282 4444 or email [email protected].