Last updated: 31 July 2026
Healthcare and wellness practices (“the Practice”) use Pabau to send appointment-related text messages (SMS) to their patients: appointment confirmations, reminders, aftercare and pre-care instructions, and replies to patient enquiries. This page describes exactly how patients opt in to those messages. It accompanies the SMS Privacy Policy and SMS Terms & Conditions.
Consent is collected by each Practice directly from its own patients, specifically for that Practice’s appointment messaging. Opt-in consent is never purchased, rented, shared, or transferred from any other party.
1. Online booking
When a patient books an appointment through the Practice’s online booking page (reachable from the Practice’s own website), the booking form asks for the patient’s mobile phone number for appointment communications. The form presents the following disclosure at the point where the number is collected:
“By providing your mobile phone number, you agree to receive appointment-related text messages from the practice — confirmations, reminders, aftercare instructions and replies to your enquiries. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to unsubscribe at any time, or HELP for assistance.”
Submitting the booking with a mobile number constitutes the patient’s opt-in. The consent (date, time, and source) is recorded in the Practice’s patient management system.
2. Booking by phone (verbal opt-in)
When a patient books over the phone, Practice staff ask for the patient’s mobile number and read the following consent statement before enrolling the patient in text messaging:
“We’d like to send you text messages about your appointments — confirmations, reminders and aftercare instructions. Message frequency varies with your bookings, and message and data rates may apply. You can reply STOP at any time to stop receiving messages, or HELP for assistance. Do you agree to receive these messages at this number?”
The patient is enrolled only if they agree, and the verbal consent (date, time, and source) is recorded in the Practice’s patient management system.
3. In person at the Practice
When a patient provides their mobile number in person — on a registration or booking form at reception — the form carries the following consent language next to the mobile-number field:
“By providing my mobile phone number, I agree to receive appointment-related text messages (confirmations, reminders, aftercare instructions and replies to my enquiries) from the practice. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to unsubscribe or HELP for assistance.”
Opting out and getting help
- Patients can opt out at any time by replying STOP to any message; a single confirmation message is sent and no further texts follow.
- Replying HELP provides assistance, and patients can always contact their Practice directly.
- Opting out of text messages does not affect other ways the Practice may contact patients about their care.
For how patient data is handled in this programme, see the SMS Privacy Policy. For the programme terms, see the SMS Terms & Conditions.