Mobile devices Toolkit

Story: New NHS system to SMS patient appointments

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This has got to add another few hundred non medical staff to the already bloated administration within the NHS. And, even should it work successfully, there is the doubt of whether it will connect with the patient - the customer without whose existence the whole thing is not needed.
It presumes that patients will have a mobile phone and that they will be willing to accept text messages.
The existing archaic system of hospital appoints using snail mail is fairly foolproof (although my local Hospital Trust has stopped giving appointments until 6 weeks before one is due to see the consultant - emphatically denies that it is a surreptitious way of not having a waiting list - says you are kept on a list to be given an appointment rather than be given an appointment. Must use many more clerical hours!!)
And where is the funding for the millions of text messages to be sent?
Perhaps it would be acceptable if absolutely NO extra staff or funding was permitted for the service.

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