Upset re NHS text message

Definitely ring gastro dept, as if its from them they will know if its for you or not, ask main switchboard for gastro dept- but mostly if the hosp send appts its in the form of an online link to a 'portal appointment' then you get sent back the online appt letter- but we all did a postal covid 19 test and (eventually,after i rang up twice) got back result in just a text message and then an email.

My son in law had a small op day prior to lock down, he did have to have a covid19 test i think.

Not all letters do come in post joysutty- not anymore- its an annoyance to me as they send me texts for 'portal appoinments' for both me and my 2 sons at home (21&17) as i deal with all their medical appts etc too- but it never says which person they're for at beginning, i have to click on them and then put in details & if its not my own, go through it all again, or again & again to get correct one, but also i was told when i rang up that IF you DON'T click on it they then send a letter out instead! So why not just send letter in first place! Yes these texts are worrying as then you can't sort them especially if its weekend, or after 5.30! But as for OP, yes I'd ring on monday- as its odd a 'young lad' answered, saying receptionist had 'gone home'?? It could just be kids messing or could be genuine but just a mix up, for example, there's more than one person with same name, as my son used to attend same childrens clinic when he was younger, as another child, same name, so its possible you got their txt by mistake? But if youre not expecting one from that dept definitely ring on monday- not that number, but the main hospital number,& ask for gastro dept? I think you CAN actually opt out of the text message service also? You could ask hospital when you ring?

Yes, Chrissie13 that is what I think is bad. Last year they found a polyp not cancerous but abnormal cells. They could not remove it with a scope. It was my choice to leave it or not. I will be leaving it at least for now. I moved July last year hate were I moved to and am moving back in the next few weeks just waiting for purchase to go through. Just can't believe they would send a message without an explanation.

Don’t worry at all. Yes it is thoughtless and happened to me but I assume they’re overloaded or lazy. Just phone the hospital or any number you can get hold of and give them the issue to worry about. I just say I can’t do x and let them figure out a solution. They always do with a bit of huffing. Occasionally you don’t get far like I was trying to find out why I had to shield , well over been shielding four months and still can’t find out why !! But since I decided to shield until May 2021 ( depending on cases etc ) I don’t mind .

Marieeliz
Phone your GP for an answer as appointments such as yours are usually because these departments have been informed by your doctor who believes you need further investigation. Then take it from there and at the same time explaining your problem with transport.

NHS

Sounds like a scam.
Be very very careful.....

I have never received such a curt message from an HHS source and I think this is a bad way to communicate with the public.

I myself was selected for a series of Covid-19 tests (throat and nose swabs). I had my initial interview and have had to insist via the complaints procedure the person who comes wears a mask . Masks will be worn on future visits to me or I will not provide the swab. The initial contact from the government department was nothing like a text message but was a A4 letter and explanatory booklet.

Grannygrumps is right. The consultants' secretaries know what's what and are good and clear to talk to on the phone .

My sister had colonscopy last week. No requirement was mentioned of her having a covid test.
I suspect it is a scam text.
As others have said, phone hospital on Monday.

Totally understand you worrying Marieleez. Not long now until tomorrow when you can ring them. Let us know how you get on

Maybe its a scam text - there's been plenty of those going round at the moment.

Track & trace could be ruled out if you haven't signed up to the app.

Surely you would know if your GP had referred you to the hospital to see a specialist?

And it could be an error. We have had hospital/GP/optician calls for other people

I've no idea why they would think it's a good idea to just text people to go for a test, with no explanation or details. It seems likely that it is to test you and then give you a gastroenterology appointment if you are clear, but they should be ringing you to explain the procedure!

I always get hospital letters on a Saturday. I hate it. What are they thinking.

They often make no sense and cause me mo end of worry.

My complaint is that, I get this message completely out of the blue. Nothing in it about a hospital appointment. Although it is possible there could be one in the pipeline, put off since last year. I just think it is bad to get. This out of the blue with nothing about an appointment. I have no intention of going as I am in the middle of moving house, within the next 6 weeks.

You need to ring the gastroenterologist dept and ask to speak to your consultant or his secretary. I’ve had all my gastro appt via phone call since March. NHS text messages are usually automated. ( me being the person that has sent them) it’s easy for a message to be sent to the wrong person / number.
Don’t worry. Speak to the right secretary and your mystery will be in ravelled.

In Malta, if you live alone, you are entitled to transport. They will ask if you have someone to take you, of course. They told you it was for Coviod-19, and then they told you it was for gastro; something is wrong, somewhere. It might have been sent to you in error.

joker, not koker

As someone who has been in and out of hospital all year, yes a covid test is required if you are to go to hospital, i would suggest that Marriellz phone on monday explain the situation , ie age, do not drive, no one to take you, hospital should if you ask supply transport to and fro and again if you have to go in for your appointment , it will most likely be albeit a local volunteer driver , do not fret or get anxious, trust me i am not a doctor......

You may get the letter tomorrow about the gastroenterology appointment. Texts are faster than letters, and if the secretary (or her young assistant) sent them on Friday then the text would arrive straightaway and the letter on Monday, or even Tuesday.

The other possibility is that as Clancy01 says there are a lot of scams about, and your phone call was answered by some koker who is nothing to do with the hospital but was just "'avin' a laff" The number you called was on the text.

If you don't hear on Monday, try phoning the gastroenterology department direct, and asking them why you received that text.

I have a friend who has a hospital appointment shortly, and has been sent out a coronavirus test kit in the post to her home address, which is a swob of inside of her mouth i think she told me, and to do this a week before the appointment and a courier will collect it from her front door. It does seem very odd that the 2 are so near each other date wise, so i would DEFINATELY phone up straight away first thing on Monday as sometimes these appointment lines open at 8am or 8.30am to question if it is a genuine text as apparently there are some scams going around as I have had 2 over the phone chats during lockdown, and now just received an appointment in the post for 8th August for one that I had been waiting on since February. All appointments would come via a letter in your post in any case. The only texts we have had are reply back on things from our surgery's GP to contact them for various things, so whether or not you had "set-up" a system for text appointments but think its very strange you have not got received the appointment letter in the post before this date which is a very short timescale.

Random people re being asked to have Covid tests. My 9-year-old grandson, and the husband of a friend. It’s all for valuable research and will hopefully lead to a vaccination being produced.

MarieEliz It sounds like a mix-up to me. Were you expecting to get a gastroenterology appointment at some time, or was that a complete surprise to you?

I work in screening in the NHS and we are asking everyone who is coming in for a procedure to have a Covid test before attending - for everyone's sakes. If I get Covid at any point I would like to think as much as possible was being done to avoid my spreading it around