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Patient Contact Service

Thousands of appointments across the NHS are wasted every year, due to patients not attending their appointment. The reasons are varied and often unique, but include:  

  • not having been informed in time of their appointment

  • the patient failing to tell us that they are not able to attend the appointment date offered or

  • the patient no longer requires the appointment.

So, as part of East Kent Hospital’s University NHS Foundation Trust’s strategy to reduce the non-attendance rate for appointments, an interactive text/phone/email appointment confirmation system has been introduced. This has enabled us to offer choice to you and gain your agreement (and confirmation) to attend appointments. This has increased utilisation of appointment slots and greatly enhanced yours and other patient’s experience.

Interactive Text and Interactive Voice Messaging system for our Outpatient Clinics, Therapy appointments and Radiology are sent 7 days in advance. Reminders for Endoscopy appointments are sent up to 14 days in advance of your appointment.

The message will ask you to confirm your attendance and will give you a number to call, should you wish to change your appointment or no longer require it.

You should be aware that should you fail to attend an appointment or change or cancel more than once we may not be able to offer you a further appointment.  

The system can also be used to contact patients should appointments become available at short notice. You will be advised of when and where the appointments are available and asked to phone in, to take one of the appointments. These will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Please see our 'Frequently Asked Questions' section for further information.

Orange envelope with @, SMS and phone symbols

Do you need to tell us your up to date personal details?

If you only need to tell us of a new phone number or that you do not wish to receive an electronic message from us, please contact one of the following teams: 

Outpatients Services 

Tel: 01227 868686

Radiology

X-Ray WHH – Tel: 01233 616032 (or ext 723-6032)

X-Ray K&C – Tel: 01227 864249 (or ext 722-2879)

X-Ray QEQM – Tel: 01843 23 5031

Endoscopy

Endoscopy Central Booking Office: 01843 234395

K&C Endoscopy Unit: 01227 783058

QEQM Endoscopy Unit: 01843 234370

WHH Endoscopy Unit: 01233 616274

If you need to tell us a little more, please print the form at the link below and give it to the Receptionist next time you visit the Hospital or send it to us at the following address:


Outpatient Services
Kent and Canterbury Hospital
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust,
Ethelbert Road,
Canterbury,
Kent,
CT1 3NG
Endoscopy
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital,
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust,
St Peters Road,
Margate,
Kent,
CT9 4AN
Radiology (for X-Ray, MRI, US, Nuclear Medicine & CT)
Kent and Canterbury Hospital,
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust,
Ethelbert Road,
Canterbury, 
Kent, 
CT1 3NG