Appointments & Health Records
We provide a support service to all outpatient and inpatient visitors to the Trust. We are responsible for all outpatient clinics, appointment bookings and the quality and availability of your medical record. We also offer a meet and greet service provided by our team of receptionists. Here's more about what we do:
- Appointment Services: Customer Care, negotiation / booking of New and follow up outpatient appointments.
- Clinic Administration: Setting up of and changes to clinic templates, capacity monitoring, Validation and Referral Management.
- Reception: Reception duties for all outpatient clinics, booking of follow up appointments, customer care and admissions of elective patients.
- Health records: Case note requests, filing and retrieval of case notes, digitising of Records, and Subject Access Requests/access to medical records
- Patient Portal: electronic access to some copy clinic letters and test results, clinic appointments, recorded allergies and patient education leaflets.
Accessing your health records (Subject Access Request)
A Subject Access Request gives you the right to request access to your personal information. It allows you to obtain a copy of the personal information (including Health Records) we hold about you.
If you have attended hospital since May 2017, you will be able to see some of your health record online through our patient portal. The patient portal provides a secure and convenient website to help manage your health. You will be able to see the following information in the patient portal:
- Appointment letters
- Appointment details
- Your recorded allergies
- From November 2024 some test results
- Patient information leaflets and videos
Information is also available through the NHS App. If you have registered for the NHS App to see your GP record you will also be able to view copies of letters and discharge summaries that have been sent by us to them.
See the next section on the patient portal to find out more.
If you need information over and above this, a Subject Access Request must be made via the Access to Health Records Department:
Calderdale Royal Hospital
Health Records Department
Salterhebble
Halifax
HX3 OPW
Information:
- The Trust will provide your information within one month (this can be extended dependent on the complexity of the request) from the receipt of your application
- All such requests must be made via the Access to Health Records Department. The request should contain adequate supporting information such as your full name, address, date of birth, NHS number, etc. This is required so we can verify your identity and locate your records. If you wish to do this via a form, you can get the form by clicking here
- Information will be provided free of charge except where requests are unfounded or excessive, in particular repeat requests, then the Trust may either charge a reasonable fee or refuse to act on the request.
Please send completed forms to:
Access to Health Records Office
Record Services Department
Calderdale Royal Hospital
Salterhebble
Halifax
HX3 0PW
Enquiries:
To make a request (supporting documentation will be required to verify identity) or ask a question, please telephone 01422 222 065 with your query, or contact us by email accesstodata@cht.nhs.uk
The patient portal - Accessing your information electronically
Find out about how to access your health records online on our Patient Portal page.
Digital appointment letters
Some of our appointment letters are sent digitally to patients, if their mobile phone is registered with us.
We know not everyone will choose this option, so if the digital letter is not accessed within 72 hours, or no mobile number is held, a letter will be automatically sent in the post. Patients can view all their appointment details on their smartphone or electronic device. For more details access our appointments letter page here. Appointment Reminders and Digital Letters.
How it works
This is highly secure and tested method. Letters are accessed by a unique link and 4-digit PIN.
Patient experience is improved with several features:
- Rather than waiting for letters to arrive, digital delivery is instant and patients can now see and control their appointments at the touch of a button.
- Patients can access their appointment information anytime and anywhere by smartphone. Details can be emailed and printed off too
- Appointments can be cancelled with one click, so more patients are likely to cancel, releasing appointments for other waiting patients
- The appointment can be added directly into the patient’s digital calendar to reduce the risk of forgetting their appointment and keep their treatment on track
- Work out travel plans with a live home to hospital Google map, and real-time travel times
- Add speech, reading and translation options to digital text. The letter can also be read aloud in multiple languages to the patient too!
- Patients less confident with technology or without access, will still receive a letter in the post (letters are also sent if the unique link hasn't been clicked within 72 hours)
We believe this helps support a reduction in non-attendance and wasted appointments; meaning patients can be seen quicker and services run more efficiently.
Digital appointment letters - frequently asked questions
Q: If someone has my phone can they access my letter?
A: There is an additional level of security in that Date of Birth verification is required to access your appointment letter.
Q: If I delete the text by mistake after I have opened it up how will I remember my appointment date?
A: As well as patient appointment communications, we run an appointment reminder service so patients remember the key details of their upcoming appointment.
Q: Can I opt out of receiving it?
A: Patients can opt out of text messaging at any time by speaking to a member of our Appointment Centre team on 01484 355370.
Q: What happens if my phone isn’t working on the day of my appointment and I can’t access the digital letter?
A: The same procedure should be followed as if a patient has not brought their physical letter to an appointment. Turn up at the hospital and book in on the self-check machines using your date of birth.
Q: What happens if I cancel my appointment on my phone?
A: Please contact our Appointment Centre team on 01484 355370 to arrange a new appointment.
Q: When will a physical letter be sent out if a patient does not access the digital letter?
A: If you do not access your letter digitally within 72 hours it will be posted to you.
Q: Will all outpatient letters be sent digitally?
A: Some departments organise their own letters, including cardiology, radiology, child health and physiotherapy.
Contacts
Their lines are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 7pm and Saturday 9am to 12noon.
The main Appointment Centre number is 01484 355370.
