eConsent

At Croydon University Hospital, we are now using electronic consent forms instead of paper-based forms.

This new way of agreeing to your treatment gives you more time to consider your decision and discuss it with your family and friends at home before giving your consent. It also offers you a safer and more convenient experience.

Your personal information will be stored securely and provide your clinical team with accurate information at all times.

Croydon University Hospital will be piloting electronic consent from March 2025 in General Surgery, Colorectal, and Vascular specialties.

 

As a Trust, we are doing this so that when you come across digital consent as part of your patient journey with us, you’ll know what to expect.

In simple terms, we need your consent to undertake an operation or procedure. This has been a paper-based process up until now, but as with many things, we are moving this to one that is now digital.

It means access to quick and clear and comprehensive guidance about your operation or procedure. It will give you time to consider, reflect and if needed to discuss with family and friends at home before giving your consent.

It records everything to your digital hospital record so that we can access the most up to date information about you whenever it’s needed.

We want to do this not only to meet new national standards that the NHS is setting, but most importantly it will support our patients in making informed decisions about their treatments.

The aim is to provide a better patient experience for you, as well as an improved understanding of the decision-making process about your care and treatment. It will give more time for doctors to undertake clinical duties rather being caught up in endless paperwork.

It also reduces some of the risks with a paper-based system as we expect fewer errors on consent forms with improved documentation of the consent process. It minimises the chance of needing to cancel an operation or procedure on the day and other delays in getting your operation or procedure done.

Data is entered into the digital consent application by a doctor or qualified healthcare professional. They modify the information in the form to meet your individual needs and this is shared with you via email or text message to review later.

After reviewing the information provided, you can document your consent to the proposed treatment or ask your healthcare professional for further information.

Can I complete my consent at home?

Provided your consent has been shared with you by the clinician in charge of your care, you can sign your consent via your smartphone or computer at home if you have access to the internet. You just need to use your finger or a compatible electronic pencil to draw your signature.

 

Is e-consent available in another language?

Yes, Concentric is available to view in multiple languages, which can be changed through a simple process on your web browser.

 

Do I have to use digital consent if I don't want to, or can't?

Paper forms will still be available for a short time, and you can discuss this with the clinician in charge of your care at the time.

 

Can someone consent on my behalf? 

Yes, our process remains the same. If you are a parent, guardian, person with legal responsibility for another, you will still be able to sign on behalf of the person receiving treatment. For more information you can discuss this with your clinician.

 

Where is my data stored, how is it protected?

The Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is used for all hosting and data processing within a data centre in the UK. It is compliant with all healthcare information governance requirements. Once the consent episode is completed, a pdf version of the consent form is automatically transferred into the Trust’s Electronic Patient Record (EPR) systems.

All data is protected in line with industry best practice.

 

Why am I being contacted by Concentric?

You may be contacted electronically after you sign your consent to complete a short survey. 

By completing this survey, you are helping us improve our services. However completing the survey is optional. While you can’t opt out of receiving the survey, you can opt out from completing it.

 

How do I know the message I've received is not a scam?

There are six key things to look out for to make sure the message you received is not a scam:

1. Your text message will be addressed from “Concentric”.
2. It will read ‘Dear [Name]’ and will provide a secure, randomly generated link which you can only open with the date of birth which you have confirmed with Croydon Health Services
3. Your email message will be addressed from “Croydon Health Services (via Concentric) notifications@concentric.health”
4. It will be titled “Important information about your upcoming treatment”.
5. It will include the Croydon Health Services NHS logo and will read ‘Dear [Name]’
6. The ‘View my information link’ will only be accessible by using the date of birth you have confirmed with Croydon Health Services.

 

Does it cost me to receive the text and open the link?

No, this service is free.

 

Can my form be shared with someone else (potentially a paediatric patient and their guardian)?

Yes. Concentric has consent functionality which requires the parent/guardian’s consent, as well as the ability for the child to sign in parallel. For young people aged 14-17 there is an option to complete a consent form 1 or 2 depending on their ability to consent.