Writing a message

Text message templates

Upload a Word document of your text message and NHS Notify will send it for you.

How to edit your text message using our template

Download our text message template to set up your text message.

You can save the template and edit it with your message content.

Formatting your text message

Organise your message content using the styles in the template.

If you’re copying and pasting text from another document, paste it without any formatting. Then apply the styles in the template.

You can also use Microsoft Word’s format painter to copy the formatting of the styles and apply it to your text.

Find out how to use:

You can also find out about:

Personalisation

To add a personalisation field, include a placeholder with double brackets around it. For example:

Information:

Hello ((firstName)), your NHS Number is ((nhsNumber))

Read about the personalisation fields that are available in the Personal Demographics Service (PDS) and how to provide your own personalisation data.

Body text

Use the style ‘Normal’ in the template for body text.

Use the style ‘Hyperlink’ in the template for links.

Write links in full, starting with https://. For example:

Information:

https://www.service-manual.nhs.uk/content

Short URLs

If you have a long, complex web address, you can request a short URL from GOV.UK. This can take some time and may delay your template creation.

We do not recommend using a third-party link shortening service because:

  • your users cannot see where the link will take them
  • your link might stop working if there’s a service outage
  • you can no longer control where the redirect goes

Message length

If a text message is longer than 160 characters, it will be charged as more than one message.

If you’re using personalisation fields, it could make your message longer.

Learn more about character counts and text message pricing.

Attachments

We do not currently support sending files as attachments with text messages.

If you need to send an attachment, host the attachment separately on a website and add a link to it in your message content.

Images

We do not currently support images in text messages.

If you need to send an image, host it separately on a website and add a link to it in your message content.

Telling recipients who your email is from

Find out how to set up your reply-to email address. This is the email address that your emails are sent from and that recipients can reply to.