NHS Ayrshire & Arran, in partnership with the National Elective Coordination Unit (NECU), is beginning the next stage of its waiting list validation programme. As part of this process, local patients who have been waiting more than 26 weeks for an inpatient or day‑case procedure will soon receive a text message asking them to confirm whether they still require their appointment.
Messages will begin arriving from Monday 20 April, sent from mobile number 07860 039092. Patients will be invited to complete a brief survey asking if they still need their appointment, followed by a few questions to confirm their identity. People who are answering the survey on behalf of someone else must provide the patient’s details at this stage.
Vicki Campbell, NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s Director of Acute Services, explains:
“NECU works with NHS Boards across Scotland to ensure waiting list information is as accurate as possible. This allows us to prioritise care appropriately and free up appointments that are no longer required so they can be offered to other patients waiting for treatment.
“If you are waiting for an inpatient or day‑case procedure with NHS Ayrshire & Arran, please don’t ignore this message. Even if you have taken part in this process before, we ask that you click the link and complete the survey again. This helps us make sure our records are correct and up to date.
“We want to reassure patients that the information collected will be used solely to manage our waiting lists, and all details shared will be handled securely.
“This service has been successfully used by several NHS Boards in recent years, helping identify not only whether procedures are still required, but also where urgent cases need to be prioritised.”
The service is delivered in partnership with digital solutions provider DrDoctor, and messages will appear as being sent from the NHS Scotland National Elective Coordination Unit (NECU) using the number 07860 039092.
Further information about the waiting list validation text service is available at:
https://www.nhsaaa.net/services/services-a-z/waiting-list-validation-information-for-patients/