Isle of Wight NHS Trust launches patient portal for digital letters

Isle of Wight NHS Trust has announced the launch of a patient portal which allows patients to receive digital letters and manage their appointments online.

The patient engagement portal (PEP), supplied by Healthcare Communications, went live at the trust at the end of June 2024 with some outpatient services.

Remaining outpatient services are planned to be launch in September 2024, while additional services, such as inpatient and day cases, are planned for the end of 2024 and early 2025.

Rachel Dominey, associate director of digital transformation at Isle of Wight NHS Trust, said: “We are delighted to be working with Healthcare Communications to digitise the way we interact with patients and standardise appointment procedures for departments.

“Our statistics show that since going live with the patient engagement portal, over 60% of our patients are accessing their appointment letters digitally which is really positive”.

The PEP can be accessed via mobile device or PC using an online link, which is automatically sent to patients who book an appointment or are admitted to care at the trust.

Within the portal, patients can view appointments letters, set their accessibility preferences such as font size, download letters to their mobile device and add details of their appointment to their phone or laptop calendar. Patients can also view, cancel or rebook their appointments.

Digital letters are optional and patients can choose to continue receiving paper copies if they prefer, the trust said. Likewise, hard copies will be automatically posted to patients who do not view their digital letters within 48 hours of them being sent.

Kenny Bloxham, healthcare director at Healthcare Communications, said: “We’re thrilled to partner with such a dedicated team committed to enhancing care through inclusive patient engagement.

“The island community’s already high adoption of this channel has dispelled outdated notions that certain demographics resist digital communication”.

Isle of Wight joins more than 80 NHS trusts to have launched PEPs where patients can access information concerning their care.

Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust went live with Healthcare Communications’ portal in July 2024, while Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust launched its DrDoctor-supplied PEP in May 2024.

In June 2024, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust announced its intention to launch an “AI-powered” patient portal at some point in 2024, working in partnership with automation company EBO and software provider The Access Group.