Patient Portal FAQ's and support

If we have your details saved, a link will be sent to you via text message or email from DrDoctor. Each time there is new information in the Portal, you’ll receive a secure link that can be accessed via smartphone, tablet or computer. Once it’s connected later this year, you’ll be able to access it via the NHS app too.

The Patient Portal is not the same thing as the NHS App, but it will share some of the same information once it’s connected later this year. The NHS App will display appointment information, letters and other useful data, but for further functionality and any messaging capabilities, the Portal will automatically open in a web browser. Ultimately, it should be seamless for you to use.

You can access the Portal via any internet or data connected computer, tablet or smartphone, but if you’re not able to, or have difficulties accessing it, you can give consent for someone else to on your behalf. If you’d rather not, or are unable to use the portal, you needn’t do anything as we will continue to provide printed documentation and use existing contact methods.

Our partners at DrDoctor will have access to your contact information but not to detailed information about your health. All health information within the Portal is secure. We will be applying the Trust’s privacy notice to our project and the data it collates from our clinical and administrative systems that help us to provide your care. DrDoctor is accredited to the highest standards set by the NHS for protecting the healthcare information of UK citizens. For more information, please visit their website.

You’ll receive a text message from our partners at DrDoctor's mobile number (07860 039092) with a link that looks a bit like this: nhs.my/8kdjd7M6. This link is unique to you and will take you to the portal to sign in, and is perfectly safe.

Yes! This is an email notification that you have a new digital letter from us. The link will take you to our Patient Portal where you'll be invited to enter your details and log into the portal. We'll never email you asking for your personal details; we'll only ever direct you to the Patient Portal where it's safe and secure to submit personal details and information about your care. If you are unsure of the legitimacy of an email from us, please give our PALS team a call or get in touch with your care team directly.

If you have not opened your digital letter in the portal, you’ll receive a printed letter in the post as normal, so you don’t need to do anything. If you have opened your digital letter and would like a printed copy, you have a few options: - You can reply 'PRINT' to the text about your digital letter - You can set your preferences to print within the portal - You can request a printed letter within the portal - You can let your care team know you'd like to opt out of all digital communications Any of these options will ensure you receive your letters via post.

If you have entered your details correctly, but the portal doesn’t recognise them, it could be that Gloucestershire Hospitals holds different details for you. You could call them and ask them to check or wait until your appointment letter arrives and ask when you visit the hospital.

This error occurs in one of two scenarios: Either you’re trying to view a letter for a family member or relative who is registered at the Trust with the same phone number or email, or You’re registered at more than one NHS Trust and when you logged in, you picked the wrong Trust portal. If this is the case, click the link again and make sure it’s the right NHS Trust.

If you've exhausted all troubleshooting and the portal still isn't working, you can contact our partners at DrDoctor directly by emailing support@drdoctor.co.uk.

At this stage, we are only live with digital letters, with further functionality coming online throughout the year. For more information on the plan for new capabilities in the portal, take a look at the 'What will the Patient Portal do?' page.