Sending a message

Message and channel status

You can find out what’s happened to your messages and channels by checking the message or channel status.

To get an overall status of a message you’ve sent using a routing plan, use the message status.

To see the status of a specific channel in your routing plan, use the channel status.

If you’re using NHS Notify API

Check the status of a single message or channel by using the get message status endpoint.

To check the status of multiple messages automatically, use message status callbacks.

If you’re using NHS Notify MESH

You’ll receive a daily report of messages and channels that have completed that day.

Message status

Status	Description
created	The message has been created but has not been processed by NHS Notify.
pending_enrichment	NHS Notify is waiting to check and improve the recipient’s contact details using the Personal Demographics Service (PDS).
enriched	NHS Notify has found the recipient’s contact details.
sending	The message is in the process of being sent.
delivered	The message has been successfully delivered.
failed	We have failed to deliver the message.

Messages and channels that have not reached a recipient will have a ‘failed’ status with one of the following descriptions:

Failed message status descriptions
The provider could not deliver the message.
There was an unexpected error while sending the letter to our printing provider.
PDS - patient record invalidated.
PDS - patient is formally dead.
PDS - patient is informally dead.
PDS - patient has an exit code.
PDS - contact detail is malformed.
PDS - patient does not exist.

There are specific statuses for each message channel:

Status	Description
received	The supplier received the request to send an NHS App message.
created	The NHS App message has been created.
skipped	The NHS App message has been skipped.
sending	The NHS App message is in the process of being sent.
delivered	The NHS App message was successfully delivered.
read	The recipient has opened the NHS App message.
notified	A push notification was sent and displayed on the recipient’s device.
notification attempted	A push notification has been sent to the recipient’s device but we cannot confirm if the notification was received or displayed.
unnotified	A push notification was not sent or displayed on the recipient’s device.
rejected	The supplier rejected the request to send the NHS App message.
failed	Read more about failed messages descriptions.

Status	Description
created	The email has been created.
skipped	The email has been skipped.
sending	The email is in the process of being sent.
delivered	The email was successfully delivered.
failed	Read more about failed messages descriptions.
permanent_failure	The provider could not deliver the message because the email address was wrong.
temporary_failure	The provider could not deliver the message. This can happen when the recipient’s inbox is full or their anti-spam filter rejects your email.
technical_failure	Your message was not sent because there was a problem between NHS Notify and the provider.

Status	Description
created	The text message has been created.
skipped	The text message has been skipped.
sending	The text message is in the process of being sent.
delivered	The text message was successfully delivered.
failed	Read more about failed messages descriptions.
permanent_failure	The provider could not deliver the message. This can happen if the phone number was wrong or if the network operator rejects the message.
temporary_failure	The provider could not deliver the message. This can happen when the recipient’s phone is off, has no signal, or their text message inbox is full.
technical_failure	Your message was not sent because there was a problem between NHS Notify and the provider. You will not be charged for text messages that are affected by a technical failure.

Status	Description
created	The letter has been created.
accepted	NHS Notify has sent the letter to the provider to be printed.
skipped	The letter has been skipped.
sending	The letter is in the process of being sent.
received	The provider has printed and dispatched the letter.
delivered	The letter was successfully delivered.
pending_virus_check	The provider has not yet completed a virus scan of the letter.
cancelled	Sending cancelled. The letter will not be printed or dispatched.
failed	Read more about failed messages descriptions.
virus_scan_failed	The provider has found a potential virus in the precompiled letter file.
validation_failed	Content in the letter file is outside the printable area.
technical_failure	NHS Notify had an unexpected error while sending the letter to our printing provider. You will not be charged for letters that are affected by a technical failure.
permanent_failure	The provider cannot print the letter. Your letter will not be dispatched.