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SMS appointment reminders for UK medical and dental practices

Etisia adds SMS reminders, an optional cancellation link and review requests to a Google Calendar workflow that stays simple.

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Up to 60 free SMS · Most users send their first reminder in under a minute

SMS Reminders, Google Reviews, Easy Cancellation

Google Calendar
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Sophie Davies (SMS sent ✅)
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Amelia Wilson (SMS sent ✅)
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Oliver Smith (SMS sent ✅)
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Charlotte Evans (SMS ready ✅)
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07700 90012• (SMS sent ✅)
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The real impact of missed medical appointments

Every unused appointment slot leaves a gap in the diary. For a GP surgery, dental practice or private clinic, that can mean reception time spent rearranging appointments, clinical time left unused and another patient waiting longer than necessary. Etisia helps your team send clear SMS reminders from Google Calendar, with cancellation links that make it easier for patients to cancel when they cannot attend.

Medical professional in clinical setting providing healthcare services

Fewer forgotten appointments A short text reminder can help patients remember the date and time of their appointment, especially when appointments are booked days or weeks ahead. For medical and dental practices, the message should stay neutral: appointment time, practice name and a simple link to cancel the appointment.

Easier cancellations before the slot is wasted Patients may know they cannot attend but put off calling because the phone line is busy or the practice is closed. A cancellation link gives them a simple route to cancel: Etisia deletes the appointment from Google Calendar and emails the practice, giving the reception team a better chance of offering the appointment to someone else.

Medical professional in clinical setting providing healthcare services

Less pressure on the reception desk Manual reminder calls can be repetitive, especially for small teams. Etisia adds automated SMS reminders to appointments already in Google Calendar, helping reception and admin staff focus on patients who need a more personal response.

Useful across several clinicians or rooms Many practices manage separate diaries for clinicians, treatment rooms, dental chairs, nurses or branches. Etisia can support Google Calendar-based workflows across multiple calendars, so reminders are linked to the appointment structure the team already uses.

UK SMS templates for medical and dental appointment reminders

These examples are designed to be short, neutral and privacy-aware. Avoid including diagnoses, test results, treatment details, medication details or the reason for the appointment in an SMS.

Standard appointment reminder

Template 1

Reminder: you have an appointment at {PracticeName} on {Date} at {Time}. To cancel it: {Link}
Day-before reminder

Template 2

Your appointment at {ClinicName} is tomorrow at {Time}. To cancel your appointment: {Link}
Same-day reminder

Template 3

Reminder: you have an appointment at {PracticeName} today at {Time}. Please contact us if you can no longer attend: {Link}
Dental practice reminder

Template 4

You have an appointment at {PracticeName} on {Date} at {Time}. To cancel it, please use this link: {Link}
Private clinic reminder

Template 5

Your appointment at {ClinicName} is booked for {Date} at {Time}. To cancel your appointment: {Link}
Cancellation link message

Template 6

Cannot attend your appointment at {PracticeName} on {Date} at {Time}? Please let us know here: {Link}
Appointment change notice

Only if a move makes a waiting reminder too late

Appointment change notice: you have an appointment at {ClinicName} on {Date} at {Time}. To cancel your appointment: {Link}
Review or feedback request

Template 8

Thank you for visiting {PracticeName}. You can leave feedback here: {ReviewLink}

Next step

Templates for every other situation

The full library covers confirmations, reschedules, cancellations and post-visit follow-ups, grouped by situation and ready to copy.

Browse the template library

Estimate the appointment time left unused

Your average appointment

Your assumption - the no-shows caused by forgetting rather than a deliberate skip.

%
~3 no-shows per week

That's

£0

walking out your door every year.

Per month

£0

Per week

£0

Wasted hours/year

0 hrs

Etisia brings them back.

Assumes half your no-shows come down to forgetting rather than a deliberate skip.

Annual savings

£0

Appointments recovered

0

Hours saved

0 hrs

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Up to 60 free SMS. No credit card required.

Simple plans for small and midsize service businesses that don't want another complicated booking system

Google Calendar stays the working diary. Etisia adds discreet appointment reminders, cancellation links and optional feedback requests without replacing your clinical system, dental software or practice management platform.

-17%

Starter

£16/month

Billed yearly · £190 ex VAT

For solo operators who want reminder coverage fast, without rebuilding how appointments get booked.

  • 100 SMS messages per month
  • 1 Google Calendar
  • Automatic + instant SMS on new bookings
  • Instant confirmation SMS for new appointments
  • 24/7 Monitoring
  • Cancellation link + email alert
  • 25+ templates with custom fields
  • Import contacts from iOS, Android & vCard
  • Full delivery logs & tracking
Start free trial
No credit card required
Save £66/yr

Pro

Recommended

Up to 60 free SMS

£28/month

Billed yearly · £330 ex VAT

For busy businesses that want reminders and review requests included in one Google Calendar-first flow.

  • 250 SMS messages per month
  • 3 Google Calendars
  • Automatic + instant SMS on new bookings
  • Instant confirmation SMS for new appointments
  • 24/7 Monitoring
  • Cancellation link + email alert
  • 25+ templates with custom fields
  • Import contacts from iOS, Android & vCard
  • Full delivery logs & tracking
  • Optional feedback requests
Start free trial
No credit card required

Team

£104/month

Billed yearly · £1,250 ex VAT

For larger teams: unlimited Google Calendars, staff accounts and 1,000 SMS a month at a fixed price. Need more SMS than that? Talk to us.

  • 1,000 SMS messages per month
  • Unlimited Google Calendars
  • 24/7 Monitoring
  • Cancellation link + email alert
  • Optional feedback requests
  • Multiple Google accounts if needed
  • Setup help
  • Priority support - we've got your back
Talk to us
No credit card required

Additional 50-SMS pack: £15.

Frequently asked questions

The practical details before you try Etisia.

Do UK medical and dental practices need consent for SMS appointment reminders?
In Etisia, yes: during setup you confirm that you have permission to text the people you remind, so tell them at booking that you'll text a reminder. If someone asks to stop, mark them as opted out in Etisia Contacts. You need an appropriate lawful basis under UK GDPR and must be transparent about how you use patient mobile numbers. Consent is not the only possible lawful basis for all processing, but practices should document the basis they rely on and reflect SMS reminders in their privacy information. For health-related data, extra care is needed because health data can be special category data.
Are appointment reminders treated the same as marketing SMS under PECR?
Not always. A simple appointment reminder is usually a service or administrative message, especially if it only gives practical information about an existing appointment. However, if the SMS includes promotional content, encourages patients to book extra services, or is used for marketing, PECR considerations are more likely to apply. Routine customer service messages are different from direct marketing, but messages with significant promotional material can bring marketing rules into play.
What should a healthcare SMS reminder include?
Keep it minimal: practice or clinic name, date, time and a cancellation link. Avoid diagnoses, treatment details, test results, medication details, personal reasons for the appointment or anything that could unnecessarily reveal sensitive information.
When should practices send appointment reminders?
A common pattern is 24-48 hours before the appointment, with an optional same-day reminder for appointments that are frequently forgotten. The right timing depends on the type of appointment, how easy it is to refill the slot and how often the practice wants to contact patients.
Can patients cancel through the SMS?
Yes, if you turn on the cancellation link. The patient opens the link, enters the mobile number the reminder went to and cancels. Etisia removes the appointment from your Google Calendar and emails you, so reception sees the change without a phone call. The page shows the appointment date and your practice name, with no medical details.
Does Etisia replace EMIS, SystmOne, Dentally, Exact, Cliniko or other practice software?
No. Etisia adds automated SMS reminders, cancellation links and optional review requests to Google Calendar. It should not be presented as replacing clinical records, dental software, patient portals, triage tools, safeguarding processes or regulated practice-management systems.
Can Etisia work with more than one calendar?
Yes. Etisia plans support multiple Google Calendars, which is useful for practices that separate diaries by clinician, room, branch, dental chair or appointment type. The pricing section shows the current calendar allowance for each plan.
Can medical or dental practices send review requests?
They can ask for feedback. Avoid offering incentives, asking for 5-star reviews or suggesting what patients should write. Public review requests should also avoid encouraging patients to share sensitive details.

Free Tools & Resources

No-Show Cost Calculator

Calculate how much missed appointments cost your business

SMS Template Generator

Create professional reminder messages in 3 clicks

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Add SMS reminders to the calendar your practice already uses

Send discreet reminders with only the practice name, date, time and cancellation link

Make cancellations easier with a patient cancellation link that helps reception see changes sooner

Stop forgetting to ask for reviews. Etisia can send one after the appointment

Start sending appointment reminders

Up to 60 free SMS. No credit card required.