Oldham GP’s get to grips with new text messaging service

Tens of thousands of people in Oldham will now be receiving text messages from their GP.

These will include everything from reminders about GP, jab and breast screening appointments to health messages about quitting smoking.

This new and innovative scheme is rolling out across the borough - with several practices already signed up and ‘running with it’.

Karen Smith, practice manager at St Chad’s Medical Centre, Limeside, said: “People are so busy today it is easy to forget an appointment.  An estimated 82% of the UK adult population own a mobile phone - so this is an ideal way to do our bit to help people manage their busy lives.

“We’ve had such positive feedback from patients and people are actually asking to be signed up.

“We are proud to be one of the first practices in Oldham to sign up for this and welcome any queries or comments from our patients.”

Shauna Dixon, director of clinical leadership at Oldham Primary Care Trust, said: “We are pleased and excited to be offering this service to our patients.  A fantastic benefit of this system is being able to send out messages in a number of languages.

“Not only will this scheme benefit patients - it will also help to save more than £750 million of taxpayers money - which is wasted on missed appointments every year.

“We would like to reassure people that we have strict guidelines in place to ensure the safety of patient’s details.  Patients are able to opt out if they wish by simply telling their GP or any practice staff.”

Text messaging is one of several initiatives that are being rolled out to improve patient’s access to primary care services.  This includes extended opening hours and the ability to book appointments and order repeat prescriptions over the internet - which is already being offered by many practices.

The recent results from the Patient Experience Survey show that overall most people are happy with access to primary care services in Oldham.  However, practices and the PCT are always looking for ways to continually improve.  These new initiatives are in the early stages of life and it is hoped that as more practices adopt the ideas and patients begin to reap the benefits, the satisfaction rate will increase even more.

If you would like to find out more about these services contact your GP practice.

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Notes for Editors:

The text messaging service is run by iPLATO, which is an independent innovation company.

About iPLATO

iPLATO is a privately owned limited company founded in London in the autumn of 1999.  In 2003, iPLATO was awarded a SMART Feasibility Grant by the Department of Trade & Industry to study the feasibility for national implementation of a system to remind outpatients about scheduled appointments using text messaging technology.

Since completing the study, the company has invested substantial resources towards overcoming the barriers to entry of the healthcare market and now provides successful healthcare solutions to NHS organisations throughout the United Kingdom - building a promising business around its flagship service ‘Patient Care Messaging’.

The European Venture Contest, organised by the European Commission, recognised iPLATO as one of the top ten early stage technology ventures ready to “reshape their industry and to conquer the global market” and featured on the Red Herring Europe Top 200 of companies to watch in 2006.  iPLATO began 2008 with extensive (PCT funded) roll out of Patient Care Messaging to GP surgeries across 10 Primary Care Trusts.

Press contact:
Salvador Castilla
020 3178 4680
salvador.castilla@iplato.net
1 Hammersmith Grove,  W6 0NB, London, United Kingdom
www.iplato.net
Pictures available on request