When sending messages to patients you can either manually type a message, or pick one from a list.
Patients are notified about your message by email as default. If your CCG have enabled our SMS module, when you click 'Send as SMS' patients will also be sent an SMS notification in addition to the email.
When picking from a list, you can choose from:
- NHS self-help links
- Common questions
- Health A to Z
- Medicine A to Z
- Videos
- Live Well
- Coronavirus
- Advice
- Individual questions
- Question sets
- Questionnaires
When you send a message to a patient either from the patient details page or when responding to a patient request, use the Pick message from list button to search for and select a message template.
Search for them using the search box. You can set favourites for easy access by clicking the star icon:
You can visit links and questionnaires before you select them to make sure they're what you want to send by clicking this icon 
.
Once you have selected a template from the search it will appear in the 'Selected messages' box on the right. You can delete individual messages or groups, and change the order in which they appear:
You can also edit templates by clicking in the box and changing the text.
Once you're happy, click 'Send' - the patient will be sent those messages in order.
We're adding more standardised responses all the time - if there's something missing you'd like to see, please tell us using the 'Give feedback' button in the top menu when logged into PATCHS, or you can create your own template messages for your practice.
Finishing a request with unanswered questions and questionnaires
If you click the 'Finish' button where the patient has not answered all the questions and/or questionnaires you have asked them, it will be sent to the 'Awaiting response' inbox. When the patient replies, it will go back into the 'Unassigned' inbox (this is in case the patient responds on a day you are not working). This feature is useful if you want to clear your inbox without closing requests.
Available message templates
The following templates are available to all practices. You can also create your own message templates for your practice to use - read about how to create your own message templates here.
|
Advice |
Individual Question |
Question Set |
Questionnaire |
|
Back pain exercises |
Attach photo request |
Sore Throat |
Asthma Control |
|
Back pain red flags |
Attach photo request - tonsils |
Urinary Tract Infection |
Asthma RCP |
|
Failed telephone encounter - close down request |
COVID vaccination 1 offer |
|
AUDIT-C |
|
Failed telephone encounter - please call practice |
COVID vaccination 2 offer |
|
Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) |
|
Failed telephone encounter - try again later |
Pharmacy clarification |
|
Back pain red flags [NB request will be marked as Emergency if patient says they have any red flag symptoms] |
| 'Fit (sick) note request' |
|
|
Breathlessness - MRC dyspnoea scale |
|
Food and symptoms diary |
PHQ-9 final question clarification |
|
Cough [NB request will be marked as Emergency if patient says they are breathless] |
| Hip pain exercises |
|
Daytime Sleepiness | |
|
How to use a nasal spray (video) |
|
FeverPAIN score [NB request will be marked as Urgent if patient scores 4 or more] |
|
|
How to use your inhaler |
|
Full AUDIT | |
|
Knee pain exercises |
|
GAD-7 | |
|
Medication request received - 48 hours |
|
GP-PAQ | |
|
Medication request received - 72 hours |
|
Health Assessment for Night Workers | |
|
Neck pain exercises |
|
IPSS | |
|
Normal test results |
|
Knee score | |
|
Overactive bladder and bladder training |
|
PHQ-9 [NB request will be marked as Emergency if patient answers positively to final question about self-harm or suicide] |
|
|
Patient Participation Group (PPG) information |
|
QRISK2 | |
|
Peak flow diary |
|
Smoking Status | |
|
Prescription sent |
|
Sick/Fit note details | |
|
Safety net (generic) - 1 week |
Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (full) | ||
|
Safety net (generic) - 2 weeks |
|
Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (short) | |
|
Seborrhoeic keratosis |
|
|
|
|
Shoulder pain exercises |
|
|
|
|
Skin cancer |
|
|
|
|
Stye - causes and treatment |
|
|
|
|
Test results - book GP appointment |
|
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Vitamin D deficiency |
|
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Vitamin D insufficiency |
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