Creating a New Recall Letter Template
The first stage to recalling patients is to design your Template. The Vision+ Letter template tools are based on mail merge. From within Practice Reports you create new templates using your preferred word processing application, or modify and delete any that you no longer require. Alternatively, you can create SMS Recall templates for patients you want to invite by text message, see Creating a Recall/Healthcare Invite SMS Message Template for details.
To create a new recall letter template:
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From the Windows Notification Area, right click Vision+ and select Practice Reports:
- Select either QOF or Practice Lists as required and then select Merge Templates .
- From the Merge Templates toolbar, select the word processing application you are using, for example Word or LibreOffice :Note - The template options displayed are dependent on what word processing applications you have installed. Due to possible file conflicts, you should avoid installing both Microsoft Word and LibreOffice on the same computer.
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The New Letter Template screen displays, complete the following:
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Name - Enter a descriptive title for the new template.
Training Tip - For QOF/QAIF Templates you may want to include the word QOF/QAIF in the name so you can easily distinguish between QOF/QAIF and non-QOF templates. -
Patient Information - Tick against each item of information from the patients records that you would like to merge into the letter, or untick any items you do not require.
Note - For Practices in Scotland the NHS Number merge field is replaced with CHI Number and for practices in Northern Ireland H+C Number is shown. -
Clinical Data - If applicable, select the clinical data from the list to be included in the mail merge. When clinical data is selected, the merge fields available in the extract are made available to the word processing application. This is an extremely useful way of getting patient data into letter form.
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- Select OK and the word processing application opens up in a new window with a basic template layout.If you are using Microsoft Word:
- Use Microsoft Word to make any changes to the template layout that you require.
Any mail merge fields display with << >> around them, you can move them around or copy them to other areas of the document as required. Alternatively, you can insert additional merge fields from within Microsoft Word by selecting Mailings - Insert Merge Field:
You can use all of the familiar word processing features in Microsoft Word to make the layout of the letter more attractive.
Important - We highly recommend you add a disclaimer to any reports or letters you produce, for example, ‘This document may contain sensitive or confidential data, please treat accordingly’. - Once you have finished, from Microsoft Word, select Save .
- Close Microsoft Word.
If you are using LibreOffice:- Use LibreOffice to make any changes to the template layout that you require. The mail merge fields selected display on the screen with a < > around them, you can move them around or copy them to other areas of the document as required.:
Alternatively, you can insert additional merge fields from within LibreOffice, select View - Data Sources or select Data Sources from the toolbar. Expand VisionPlus - Tables, select VisionPlus and the additional merge fields display to the right. Drag and drop additional merge fields onto the document as required:
You can use all of the familiar word processing features in LibreOffice to make the layout of the letter more attractive.
Important - We highly recommend you add a disclaimer to any reports or letters you produce, for example, ‘This document may contain sensitive or confidential data, please treat accordingly’. - Once you have finished, select Save .
- Close LibreOffice.
- Use Microsoft Word to make any changes to the template layout that you require.
You should now see the new letter template displayed in the list on the Letter Templates screen.