Exam Pass Notes

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Safe Messaging Basics

• Treat SMS, email and online messaging as clinical communication channels, not casual chat.
• Always use approved systems and templates; avoid personal devices and unapproved apps.
• Select the channel based on message content, urgency, patient accessibility and confidentiality risk.
• Send the minimum information necessary to achieve the intended purpose.

Consent, Contact and Content

• Confirm contact details, communication preferences and any safe-contact notes before sending.
• Do not assume a phone or email account is private or exclusively used by the named patient.
• Use plain language and give a single clear next action when possible.
• Exercise extra caution with sensitive topics, communications about young people, proxy access and shared devices.

Incoming Messages

• Replies can include urgent symptoms, safeguarding issues or barriers to care; treat them accordingly.
• Do not leave urgent wording in routine inboxes or untriaged message queues.
• State clearly whether message replies are monitored and how often they are checked.
• Handle attachments only through approved systems and processes.

Records and Errors

• Record important messages, replies, actions taken and any escalation steps.
• Before sending, check the patient, destination, message content and any attachments.
• Report wrong-recipient, unsafe-disclosure or missed-message incidents promptly.
• Use incidents and near-misses to improve templates and local workflows.