Accurx Batch Messaging is a paid-for feature in a premium tier of Accurx Desktop. Learn more about Accurx's paid-for features, including how to get access here.
Accurx Batch Messaging allows you to send the same message to a group of patients. This includes attaching SNOMED codes or documents to your text message or collecting structured information from a group of patients by sending Questionnaires as a Batch Message.
Batch messages are sent via the NHS app for GP organisations.
If a patient has the NHS app and notifications turned on, they'll get their message there first. If they don't read within 3 hours, or if it fails to send, we'll send it via SMS instead.
If the patient does not have the NHS app or does not have notifications turned on, the message will only be sent via SMS.
Jump to the section you need 🚀
Types of Batch Message:
Step 1: Access Batch messaging
If your organisation has access to Accurx Batch messaging, you can find this by clicking on the downwards arrow on the toolbar and then 'Batch message'.
Step 2: Click 'Send a Batch Message'
Once you are launched into Accurx Batch messaging (which sits in the browser), to start your first message, click on 'Send a batch message'.
3. Upload a file of patient details
You will see some information about what the CSV file needs to include. When you have created the CSV file, select Upload File.
You can find more information about exporting a CSV file from your EPR here.
Note: Ensure that when you create your CSV file, you exclude patients who you don't want to message (e.g. those who have declined consent for SMS communication, and those who are deceased)
If any patient's cannot be contacted, you will be shown the details on the Review Patient List page. You can download the list of non-contactable patients by clicking Download List.
Click this drop-down for a full list of reasons why a patient cannot be contacted 👈
Click this drop-down for a full list of reasons why a patient cannot be contacted 👈
Contact details not provided → The required contact methods (e.g., mobile number or email address) are missing in the CSV file.
Not a UK phone number → The phone number provided in the CSV file is not recognised as a valid UK phone number (+44).
Mobile number is likely to fail → If we tried to message this number in the last 3 months and the message failed to deliver, we won't contact this number. This only applies to workspaces where this feature is turned on.
Patient deceased → The patient is marked as deceased.
Unable to retrieve contact details → We weren’t able to get contact information for the patient from the clinical system or Patient Demographic Service (PDS).
To upload the list, click Continue. You will then see how many patients have been added as recipients. You are now ready to compose your message.
4. Compose your message
Message
Message
You can write your own message or you can choose to select a template. Creating and editing templates can be done in your 'Manage Templates' section. You can learn more about how to do this here.
Attachments
Attachments
You have the option to have an attachment. To do so, click the paperclip icon button and you’ll be prompted to navigate through your local drive to select the correct file to attach. Since different files may have the same name but in different locations, please make sure to check the file name and location on your computer before selecting a file to share with a group of patients.
This must be a generic attachment as all patients will receive the same document. So please make sure the attachment does not contain any private patient information.
Once you have added the attachment, you will see the name of the document you have attached as seen below. It's good practice to double-check that this is definitely the document you would like to be sent to a group of patients.
If you would like to preview the document you have attached, you can click on the name of the document as seen below and this will open it up.
SNOMED Code
SNOMED Code
You can also add a SNOMED Code to the message, which will be saved to the patient record.
Patients will be able to access the attachments via a link and will need to enter their DOB.
Please note: Patients can't reply directly to Batch Messages, but our solution to this is something called Custom Questionnaires.
You can make your own questionnaire, and send this in Batch Messaging to get patient responses in batch! Here's a link with some more info.
It's important to remember that healthcare professionals and providers are the Data Controller and so have the responsibility to ensure that patients are only receiving documents intended for them. You can read more about your responsibilities when using Accurx as a Data Controller in our Data Processing Agreement (Sections 5 and 6).
Questionnaire
Questionnaire
You can also send a questionnaire in batch. These are the same questionnaires you have access to when texting individual patients using the little green toolbar.
Learn more about what questionnaires are and how they work here.
Note: Any replies to Questionnaires sent via Batch Messaging will come back to the Accurx inbox of the little green toolbar just like individual Questionnaires do.
Note: Some questionnaires, for example, BMI Questionnaire + Ethnicity Questionnaire will allow you to save the responses to the record automatically. To review the responses in the inbox instead, select Not Saving Responses and amend this to Saves Responses.
Self-Book
Self-Book
Step 6: Choose to Schedule or Stagger the message
You have the option to schedule or stagger the message. To do this, click the arrow next to the Send button.
Step 7: Send your message
Once you're happy with the message, click Send!
Once you've clicked Send, your message will be sent to the patients in the list you uploaded.
All messages are saved to the patient's record in your clinical system unless you untick the Save button.
Note: Saving the message takes about 2 seconds per patient, so if you sent a large Batch Message, check back later if you haven't seen the messages saved yet. Please keep the clinical system and Accurx toolbar open to allow the message to be saved to the record too.
Batch Message delivery statuses
There are a few different delivery statuses displayed below 👇
Scheduled - A Batch Message is scheduled to be sent.
Sending - A Batch Message is sending or we're waiting for delivery confirmation.
Done - A Batch Message has finished delivering.
Cancelled - A Batch Message has been cancelled.
Saved - A Batch Message has finished saving to the medical record.
Saving - A staggered Batch Message is saving to the medical record.
More details:
Patient list - the number of patients included in the Batch Message.
Delivered - the number of texts and NHS App messages that have received delivery confirmation from the network provider. ❗ Please note: this does not include emails as we do not receive delivery receipts from email providers.
Patients without a valid mobile number - the number of patients who do not have the correct contact number. For example, they only have a landline on their medical record.
Failed to deliver - the number of messages that did not deliver. For example, the patient's phone was switched off.
If you are using SystmOne, please make sure your Accurx toolbar and SystmOne are open in order to allow saving.
Batch Message paths for GP organisations
To reduce SMS costs and make messages accessible to different groups of patients, Batch Messages can be sent in a variety of ways - SMS, email and via the NHS App. .
Paths and their priority
Paths and their priority
Email ✉️ - This mode of communication is taken as the priority. If a patient's email address is included in the CSV file for the Batch Message, the patient will be emailed the message.
*There is no fallback SMS sent if an email is left unread or fails to deliver.
NHS App 📱 - This is the second path for messages. If a patient has the NHS App installed on their mobile phone, with notifications switched on and there wasn't an email address included in the CSV file, the patient will receive their message via the NHS App. (Only for organisations in England)
If the patient doesn't open their message in the NHS App after 24 hours (3 hours for the Blood pressure 4-day and 7-day home monitoring Questionnaires), we'll send a fallback message via text (SMS) to make sure they don't miss it.
Text (SMS) 📞 - This path for messages is the fail-safe. If there is no email address included in the CSV file and the patient hasn't installed the NHS App or switched on notifications, the message will be sent via text (SMS). The patient will also receive their message via text (SMS) if they haven't opened their message in the NHS App after 24 hours (3 hours for the Blood pressure 4-day and 7-day home monitoring Questionnaires).
Note: Batch Self-Book cannot be sent via email.
This table outlines the different paths Batch Messages can take, depending on the type of Batch Message and the options that are made available.
Batch Type | Email included in CSV | No email, but has the NHS App | No email, no NHS App |
Simple Message | Emailed ✉️ | NHS App 📱 | SMS 📞 |
Questionnaires | Emailed ✉️ | NHS App 📱 | SMS 📞 |
Self-Book | SMS 📞 | NHS App 📱 | SMS 📞 |
Batch Message paths for non-GP organisations
Batch messages can be sent via SMS or Email for non-GP organisations.
Paths and their priority
Paths and their priority
Batch messages can be sent via SMS or Email for non-GP organisations.
1. Email ✉️ - This mode of communication is taken as the priority. If a patient's email address is included in the CSV file for the Batch Message, the patient will be emailed the message.
*There is no fallback if an email is left unread or fails to deliver.
2. Text (SMS) 📞 - If there is no email address included in the CSV file, the message will be sent via text (SMS).
Batch Type | Email included in CSV | SMS included in CSV |
Simple Message | Emailed ✉️ | SMS 📞 |
Questionnaires | Emailed ✉️ | SMS 📞 |
Self-Book | SMS 📞 | SMS 📞 |
I've made a mistake and already sent the link. What can I do?
We recognise it's human nature to make mistakes and so, if you have sent a Batch Message and discover the link has incorrect and/or missing information then you can contact our User Support Team.
Once a message (including Batch Messages) has been sent, the message won't be able to be unsent. However, the team will be able to revoke patients' access to the link and its contents. Patients will still see the message but when they click on the link they will be shown an error message.
Click the green message bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of this page to get a fast response from our User Support Team.
However, please note, that once revoked the link can no longer be re-activated.
If you still have any questions or concerns, feel free to chat with us using the green message bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of this page. 👉