Upset re NHS text message

It wouldn’t be distressing me much because I would put it out of my mind until Monday when I would be ringing the dept who requested the test to tell them to explain and if they want a test doing they must arrange transport for me.
Be firm, you are unable to comply.

It all sounds rather odd - do you have to have COVID19 test before you go for another procedure?

It's all very difficult, isn't it. I wanted to see the GP this week which proved impossible, but the to-ing and fro-ing and different messages from different receptionists had me flummoxed. I did get what I needed in the end.

Don't fret about it over the weekend; if necessary speak to whoever requested the test or their secretary on Monday. Explain you can't get there and ask if it's necessary and if so, can they make alternative arrangements.

Hello Marieeliz you said you couldn’t reply to the text....so who did you ring? I would have said it’s track and trace...possibly warning you you’ve been in contact with someone who’s tested positive, but as you don’t know anything about this gastroenterology appt. it seems odd. I wouldn’t worry...just do nothing, and see what happens on Monday.

The test kit can be sent to you and a courier will pick it up. If you think you won't be able to test yourself someone can come to your home.

Don't fret all weekend - call 119 and speak to someone.

I am not on track and trace. I think they are doing things the wrong way around. There is I suspect a letter in the post but they could put that in the message. Anyway I won't be going anywhere near s hospital in the present circumstances.

Toad-in-the-hole, there was a phone number but you could not reply to. Text. I young lad answered and said he had been toy to do it by secretary but she had gone home.

Marieeliz It’s quite possible that someone has used your phone number by mistake and it’s nothing to do with you.
The other day I answered the phone and a cheery voice said ‘Hello, it’s Dr P. here. I’m just calling about Alastair.’
I apologised (in the way one does) & said he must have the wrong number as no-one called Alastair lived with us.
‘But that’s telephone number ******* isn’t it?’ said Dr P.
Yes I said, but we’re the Ainsworths and we don’t have any family members called Alastair.
Dr P then conceded that I might be right and he would have to look elsewhere for his patient.

So mistakes do happen.

Put it out of your mind and just ring them on Monday.

Even if you do have to go to hospital I’m sure you would be perfectly safe.
It’s one of the few places I wouldn’t worry about going to at the moment.

It sounds as though there is a bit of a mix-up here. Were you expecting a gastro-enterology appointment at some point?

I do not think you should let all this worry you - have a good relax over the weekend. I expect they are just testing people who will have consultant appointments to make sure that they are big-free.

Everyone in the hospitals is being very careful - I had to go to two separate appointments for blood test and then injection - there was a very careful socially-distanced system for entry; everyone had their temperature checked and had to answer various questions, and then scrub their hands and put on a mask. It all went very smoothly and I did not feel in ant danger.

Please do not worry about it all weekend!

bug-free! - and any danger, not ant danger!!!

If you were expecting a hospital appointment, you probably do need a test for coronavirus before attending.

Try not to spoil your Sunday with worrying. Phone tomorrow and ask what it is all about. If you do have to go, surely you are entitled to transport?

If you are not entitled to transport, tell them you cannot attend.

Hi, please call the hospital enquiries line first before you do anything. There are lots of scams going around regarding the Covid-19 virus. I work for NHS so better to be safe than fall victim to a scam.
Take care

I work in screening in the NHS and we are asking everyone who is coming in for a procedure to have a Covid test before attending - for everyone's sakes. If I get Covid at any point I would like to think as much as possible was being done to avoid my spreading it around

MarieEliz It sounds like a mix-up to me. Were you expecting to get a gastroenterology appointment at some time, or was that a complete surprise to you?

Random people re being asked to have Covid tests. My 9-year-old grandson, and the husband of a friend. It’s all for valuable research and will hopefully lead to a vaccination being produced.

I have a friend who has a hospital appointment shortly, and has been sent out a coronavirus test kit in the post to her home address, which is a swob of inside of her mouth i think she told me, and to do this a week before the appointment and a courier will collect it from her front door. It does seem very odd that the 2 are so near each other date wise, so i would DEFINATELY phone up straight away first thing on Monday as sometimes these appointment lines open at 8am or 8.30am to question if it is a genuine text as apparently there are some scams going around as I have had 2 over the phone chats during lockdown, and now just received an appointment in the post for 8th August for one that I had been waiting on since February. All appointments would come via a letter in your post in any case. The only texts we have had are reply back on things from our surgery's GP to contact them for various things, so whether or not you had "set-up" a system for text appointments but think its very strange you have not got received the appointment letter in the post before this date which is a very short timescale.

You may get the letter tomorrow about the gastroenterology appointment. Texts are faster than letters, and if the secretary (or her young assistant) sent them on Friday then the text would arrive straightaway and the letter on Monday, or even Tuesday.

The other possibility is that as Clancy01 says there are a lot of scams about, and your phone call was answered by some koker who is nothing to do with the hospital but was just "'avin' a laff" The number you called was on the text.

If you don't hear on Monday, try phoning the gastroenterology department direct, and asking them why you received that text.

As someone who has been in and out of hospital all year, yes a covid test is required if you are to go to hospital, i would suggest that Marriellz phone on monday explain the situation , ie age, do not drive, no one to take you, hospital should if you ask supply transport to and fro and again if you have to go in for your appointment , it will most likely be albeit a local volunteer driver , do not fret or get anxious, trust me i am not a doctor......

joker, not koker

In Malta, if you live alone, you are entitled to transport. They will ask if you have someone to take you, of course. They told you it was for Coviod-19, and then they told you it was for gastro; something is wrong, somewhere. It might have been sent to you in error.

You need to ring the gastroenterologist dept and ask to speak to your consultant or his secretary. I’ve had all my gastro appt via phone call since March. NHS text messages are usually automated. ( me being the person that has sent them) it’s easy for a message to be sent to the wrong person / number.
Don’t worry. Speak to the right secretary and your mystery will be in ravelled.

My complaint is that, I get this message completely out of the blue. Nothing in it about a hospital appointment. Although it is possible there could be one in the pipeline, put off since last year. I just think it is bad to get. This out of the blue with nothing about an appointment. I have no intention of going as I am in the middle of moving house, within the next 6 weeks.

I always get hospital letters on a Saturday. I hate it. What are they thinking.

They often make no sense and cause me mo end of worry.

I've no idea why they would think it's a good idea to just text people to go for a test, with no explanation or details. It seems likely that it is to test you and then give you a gastroenterology appointment if you are clear, but they should be ringing you to explain the procedure!