If you're based in a GDPR region (UK, EU, etc.), you need explicit consent before sending marketing emails to patients. This guide explains how to set up Peptalkr correctly and collect consent from your existing patient database in a compliant way.
🔄 Sync options
When connecting Peptalkr to Cliniko, you have two options for managing your email marketing list. The option you choose depends on your location and legal requirements.
Option 1: Two-way sync enabled (recommended for GDPR) | Option 2: Two-way sync disabled (default) |
Cliniko is the source of truth for marketing consent. | Peptalkr is the source of truth for marketing consent. |
How it works:
| How it works:
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Best for: Clinics in GDPR regions who need to demonstrate explicit consent.
Settings: Enable the two-way sync checkbox and set your Active Patient Limit to "All" (there's no point limiting the timeframe when you're collecting explicit consent). | Best for: Clinics in regions like Australia where "implied consent" is acceptable (e.g., patients seen within the last 12-24 months can be contacted). Also ideal if you've been using another email platform like Mailchimp and want a fresh start. |
How to enable Option 1 (recommended for GDPR)
Go to the Settings tab of your account.
Select "All" in the dropdown.
Tick the "Only sync patients..." box
Press save
Once you do this, your account will resync. Wait a little while for sync to finish then refresh to see the total number of patients synced to your email marketing list.
What if you don't have many people opted-in?
A common scenario is that you haven't been using Cliniko's email marketing opt-in field actively, and only a handful of people are opted-in.
You know you need to use Option 1 (two-way sync) to stay compliant. But when you enable it, your marketing list is very small because you haven't been actively using the email marketing opt-in field in Cliniko.
So how do you build your opted-in list without breaking GDPR rules?
There's three automated ways patients can opt-in:
1. Peptalkr intake forms
If you're using a Peptalkr intake form, it includes an email marketing consent question. When patients complete the form, their consent preference syncs directly to Cliniko's email marketing field.
This works for:
New patients completing their initial intake
Existing patients re-completing intake forms (e.g., for a new issue or treatment type)
2. Cliniko online booking
Cliniko's online booking system includes an opt-in checkbox. Any patient who ticks this during booking will be automatically opted-in and synced to your Peptalkr marketing list.
3. Automating an email to existing patients
Now for the big question: how do you contact existing patients to ask for consent if you can't email them marketing messages yet?
The answer: send a transactional (non-marketing) email.
Transactional emails are permitted under GDPR because they're operational communications, not marketing. You can use this to inform patients about a change to your email systems and give them the opportunity to opt in.
Option A: Small database (manual opt-in)
If you have a small patient database (under a few hundred), you can ask patients to simply reply to your email saying "yes" to opt in. Your admin team then manually updates each patient's opt-in status in Cliniko.
Option B: Large database (automated opt-in)
If you have hundreds or thousands of patients, manual updates aren't practical. Instead, we can set up a special form that automatically opts patients into Cliniko's email marketing when they click a link.
💡 This special form is set up by our team. Contact Peptalkr support to request this, and we'll configure it for your account.
📝 Step-by-step: Sending a consent request email
Follow these steps to send a GDPR-compliant consent request to your existing patients.
Step 1: Contact support for the opt-in form
Before you begin, reach out to Peptalkr support and request the automated opt-in form. We'll set this up and provide you with a unique URL to include in your email.
Step 2: Create your email template
Go to Send Email → Transactional and create a new template.
Use a plain letter style template (we suggest the Recall Letter template in your account as a starting point). The email should look like it was written personally by your reception or admin team, not a flashy marketing newsletter.
Example content:
Hi [patientfirstname],
We've recently updated our email system, and as part of this change we'd like to know if you'd like to receive occasional emails from us about clinic news, health tips, promotions and other useful information.
If you'd like to opt in, simply click the link below (takes 1 second):
[Yes, I'd like to receive emails →] (link to your opt-in form)
If you'd prefer not to receive these emails, no action is needed.
Kind regards,
The team at [business]
Step 3: Create a one-off blast trigger
Go to Send Email → Triggers and create a new trigger.
Configure it as follows:
Setting | Selection |
Trigger type | One off blast |
Is this marketing? | No |
Date range | The last 6-12 months |
⚠️ Important: Do not go beyond 12 months. Contacting patients who haven't visited in over a year may result in complaints, spam reports, or simply frustrate recipients who no longer consider themselves your patient. Many clinics choose to limit this to 6 months to be extra safe.
Step 4: Send the email
Review your trigger settings, send yourself a test, then activate the trigger to send the email.
Step 5: What happens when patients click the link
When a patient clicks the opt-in link in your email:
They see a confirmation page letting them know they've been subscribed
Their Cliniko record is automatically updated to show them as opted-in for email marketing
Within a few minutes, they're synced into your Peptalkr marketing list
No manual work required from your team!
🎯 Summary
If you're in... | Recommended setup |
GDPR region | Enable two-way sync, set Active Patient Limit to "All", and use the consent collection method above |
Non-GDPR region (e.g., Australia) | Disable two-way sync, set Active Patient Limit to 12-24 months, import unsubscribes from any previous email platform |