Text telling me about a hospital appointment

[TiesThatBindMe]

Received a text yesterday along the lines of "We are expecting you for your appointment at XX hospital at 3pm on the 20th. If you do not attend it will cost the NHS £160. To cancel ring xxxxxxx number'.

The hospital mentioned is one I've been a patient at, but I am not aware of, nor have I received any letter regarding any outpatient appointment.

Even if it is legitimate, I don't know what department it's for! Do I just show up with some spurious text?

Does this sound dodgy to anyone bar myself?

Ring them in the morning to see if you have been given an appointment

100% scam

wrong number probably. phone and let them know

ring them and ask if they have an appt for you, and what for. or speak to your GPs surgery.
it sounds like a reminder text for an appointment you'd have had in the post, so perhaps its a mistake.

I'm afraid to ring in case it is a bloody great scam. The wording of it is just off?

You will probably be charged £100 a minute. Just ignore it.

Can't see what's dodgy about it what wpuld someone have to gain by it. It'll be easy enough to check if you phone the hospital

I have certainly not received any appointment in the post. That said, the last time I was a patient at this hospital I had a different address. Not sure why I would have an outpatient's appointment though?

Yes the wording is off but it is absolutely the wording our hospital uses (trust me, many meetings have happened about how shite it is).

Ring tomorrow. Use the generic hospital number if you're worried.

Sounds like a scam to make you dial that number. If you want to make sure, phone the local hospital switchboard, ask for outpatient appointments and ask them if they have any upcoming appointments for you.

Have you googled the number? If you're that suspicious just phone the main switchboard at the hospital. It's more likely you've not received a letter or they've sent it to the wrong number than it being a scam

Ignore it, scam. If you're unsure, phone the actual hospital. Are you waiting for an appointment?

Ok, thanks Buffering. But how is anyone going to check whether I have an appointment or not since it doesn't even reference a department? Would reception be able to access all appointments?

Have you Googled the number? I often get reminder texts or phone calls for appointments so it doesn't sound dodgy to me. I have sometimes got them when the letter has been lost in the post/NHS system too so I'd say either it's a wrong number or it's meant for you and the letter has got lost. I really can't see how it would be dodgy but double-check the number they're asking you to call just in case.

Reminder texts have been proven to reduce missed appointments if they include the cost to the NHS. I would think a letter lost in the post is more likely than a scam but if you're worried Google the number and it should come up as the hospital's number.

No Juicy, I'm not awaiting an appointment at all. That's why it seems so weird. 'We are expecting you blah blah..... and then the threat about cost of non attendance'. All just seems so very odd to me.

My local hospital puts you through to a department that deaĺs with appointments regardless of which department they're for. The main switchboard will be able to help you it should be easy enough for someone to check your details

Id try googling the tel no first though it'll probably confirm things one way or another

Phone charging in other room so will google number in a while. Hadn't thought of that.

Very few hospitals to my knowledge do text or voicemail reminders due to data protection. Give the hospital a call via the number they provide on their website to enquire. You are probably better off waiting until Monday morning now.

I work in an NHS Trust's Outpatient Department and the £160 figure seems off for a standard new or follow up appointment. Also I've never heard of a Trust quoting cost figures to their patients.

Do not call the number provided.

I've had genuine letters with the warning about the cost of non attendance. I'd Google the appointment line of the hospital and query it with them direct.

My hospital does both texts and voicemail. An automated message calls a week before the appointmeny to remind you of it and asks you to press 1 to confirm you're attending or 2 to cancel.

You also get a text reminder 24 hours before

Well curiosity got the better of my laziness and when I googled it comes up as XX Hospital outpatients.
How very odd. What in hell's blazes am I being sent there for?

My local hospital doesn't send out reminder texts but has signs up on the clinic areas telling you how many appointments were missed in the last month and how much that costs the NHS. Which I think is strange because if you're reading the notices it's presumably because you did keep your appointment.

Our GP surgery sends put reminder texts. So far this week I've had four texts reminding me to.book my flu Jab. .. despite the fact that when I did phone to book it the receptionist told me to ring back after 23rd September as there was no availibility currently!

It's almost certainly a text which has gone to the wrong number. Ring the hospital to be sure.

My NHS trust sends out these texts with the £160 missed appointments costs. Both for out patients and dental appointments. Also automated calls. So no issue with data protection.
But they always have the details of the department due to attend.

I've had text messages from hospitals & gps reminding of appointments. I've also missed appointments because hospital have not changed my address even though go had, it sounds real to me