Clear communication with patients has always been essential in healthcare, but as more services move towards digital communication, the way messages are written and delivered has become even more important. NHS England has recently published new guidance on writing and sending messages to patients and the public, helping teams across the NHS communicate more clearly, safely and effectively.
The guidance focuses on improving the quality and consistency of messages sent through the NHS App, text messages, emails and letters, ensuring that patients receive information that is easy to understand and supports them to take the right action.
Why This Guidance Matters
Patients regularly receive messages from their GP practice or other NHS services—appointment reminders, screening invitations, test results notifications, and important health information. When these messages are unclear, overly complex, or inconsistent, they can lead to confusion, missed appointments, or unnecessary contact with the practice.
The new guidance aims to help NHS teams design messages that are:
- Clear and easy to understand
- Safe and appropriate for the information being shared
- Consistent across different communication channels
- Focused on helping patients take the next step
Ultimately, better messaging supports better patient outcomes and improved patient experience.
When and How to Contact Patients
One of the key areas the guidance covers is when and how to contact patients. Different communication channels are suited to different types of messages. For example, some information may be suitable for digital messaging, while other communications may still require a formal letter.
The guidance helps teams consider factors such as:
- The urgency of the message
- Whether the information is sensitive or confidential
- The best channel for reaching the patient
- How to ensure the message is accessible and inclusive
By thinking carefully about these factors, practices can ensure patients receive information in the most appropriate and effective way.
The Benefits of Digital-First Messaging
The guidance also highlights the growing role of digital-first communication, particularly through the NHS App and SMS messaging.
Digital messaging can offer several benefits, including:
- Faster delivery of information
- Improved engagement with patients
- Reduced administrative burden for practices
- Lower printing and postage costs
- The ability to include links to trusted NHS information
However, the guidance emphasises that digital messaging should always be used thoughtfully and inclusively, recognising that not all patients will prefer or have access to digital communication.
Introducing NHS Notify
The guidance also includes advice on how organisations can begin using NHS Notify, the national NHS messaging service.NHS Notify is designed to support consistent, secure communication across the NHS, enabling services to send messages to patients through approved channels while maintaining clear standards for content and delivery.
As the service develops, it will play an increasing role in helping NHS organisations communicate with patients in a coordinated and reliable way.
Supporting Clearer NHS Messages
Alongside the best practice guidance, NHS England has also published a content guide for writing NHS messages. This provides practical tips to help teams write messages that are clear, concise and patient-focused.
The guide includes advice on:
- Using plain English
- Structuring messages so key information is easy to find
- Explaining actions patients need to take
- Avoiding jargon and complex language
- Ensuring messages remain accessible to all patients
These principles help ensure communication supports patients rather than creating confusion.
Learn More
If your practice or organisation sends messages to patients via the NHS App, SMS, email or letters, it is worth reviewing this new guidance.
You can explore the resources here:
Improving how we communicate with patients is a simple but powerful step towards safer services, better patient engagement, and improved health outcomes across the NHS.