Written reports on all medical appointments - how do they makeyou feel??

It's not an unreasonable thing to write. There used to be lots of naughty acronyms eg FLK, NFF etc. Not any longer.

One thing that has surprised me is the way I am described ‘This pleasant lady’ for example! Not sure if it’s a stock code phrase for doctors (does it mean ‘ We’ve got an awkward customer here’?!). Anyone else? I really don’t think consultants should be making value judgements like this.

I read every letter, make sure any inaccuracies are corrected, query anything I don't understand and make sure that there is appropriate follow-up if needed.

nexus63

i prefer to know what is going on with my health, i have been in hospital a few times in the last few years and have asked the doctors to explain in plain english and not in doctors speak, i also hate when they talk to each other as if i am not in the room, i am always polite but i am straight talking. yesterday at a hospital appointment i asked the doctor if i was wasting her time and mine rather than continue with future visits. it is my body and i want to know what is happening with it.

That is precisely how I feel. It's my body and I want to know what's going on inside it. I'll be the one who gives permission for interventions. I absolutely respect that medics have a wealth of knowledge which I don't have and I listen to them. What they don't have is a detailed knowledge of my personal medical history or what I think about certain treatments.

I get cross when Drs talk down to me, they see a little old woman. I reply using medical terminology to ensure I get my point across.
An appointment I had yesterday was recorded, I hope this makes them realise I am not an ignoramus.

i prefer to know what is going on with my health, i have been in hospital a few times in the last few years and have asked the doctors to explain in plain english and not in doctors speak, i also hate when they talk to each other as if i am not in the room, i am always polite but i am straight talking. yesterday at a hospital appointment i asked the doctor if i was wasting her time and mine rather than continue with future visits. it is my body and i want to know what is happening with it.

I don't take a lot of notice of these letters as they often contain inaccuracies.
The way I look at it is this. I have a problem with my health. I seek help. The help either works, or it doesn't. If it does then I don't need the letter, if it doesn't the letter is also useless and I either return to the GP or monitor the problem myself.
Things that may or may not be 'wrong'with me don't matter unless they are stopping me from getting on with my life.
So the letters have no impact on me whatsoever.

Blimey I think I'll operate on myself if I need one 🤣

I had a vasectomy, apparently.

My letter said "this 68 year old man with an injury to right leg.......
At the time I was a 50 odd year old woman with injury to left arm.

It does, thanks. 😊

If the details came from a hospital appt then call the consultant's secretary and tell them what you think is incorrect and ask that they send out a letter to you and info to GP with correct info and incorrect removed. But if they are older details then speak to your GP surgery, maybe start with the practice manager and tell them what you feel is incorrect and you want incorrect details removed. They can advise how to go about it. Hope that helps Doodledog.

How do you get incorrect details amended, please?

That's appalling 4allweknow. Scary! I'm glad you could afford to go privately. Not all can of course...so very worrying.

Don't have a system of receiving letters/reports unless private consulations. I had a NHS consultation in November last year and verbally told what the issue was and that I'd be added to waiting list. I hadcwaited 64 weeks for that consultation and didn't fancy waiting a further 64 weeks for treatment. Contacted a private health company who said they could help. Attended for assessment several tests carried (NHS none) out only to be informed what NHS consultant had diagnosed
was wrong. The private consultant wrote to GP and I had a copy. GP referred me to correct hospital department, appointment within 2 months and placed on that waiting list. If I had not gone for private appointment I would have been waiting for months for the wrong treatment. The second consultant fully accepted the diagnosis from the private one. Doesn't matter if you receive a copy report, what matters that the diagnosis is correct in the first place.

I have a number of autoimmune conditions and have to go to various departments. Over a number of years I've noticed inaccurate accounts of the consultations that I've had. It's like really did we attend the same appt. The inaccuracies are frequent. They name medications I've never heard or been on. Conditions I have never heard of. I called gynae secretary once to ask them to amend the follow up consultants letter...it was like oh my god they must be talking about another patient. I know they're very busy but it's potentially dangerous. I did call the CQC to say that if it's happening to me then many others must be experiencing this. They said they certainly can and do address these issues when they gather enough complaints and can follow up with an unannounced visit to monitor them.

Inaccurate reports must be amended

My notes say that i refused immunotherapy on the grounds that ""I don't want my life to get any worse than it already is."
What happened was that i was willing to have it, but the oncologist rang me and said he felt it was too risky, therefore he wasn't happy to let me have it.

I really wish we had a NHS app but Scotland had to be different so we don't have one. Apparently it's been promised but I'm not holding my breath.

You can't seriously expect busy doctors to write toned down reports in non scary language for patients as well as serious medical documents that other staff need to know.

Dalyrimole I agree it has to be right , I received a report saying that the cyst appeared to be benign , however I didn’t know I had a cyst, when I checked it appeared it was A “typing error” now I am confused

I understand where you are coming from Franbern
I underwent an examination by a specialist physiotherapist and her account of the appointment duly appeared in my NHSapp. To my horror and embarrassment, it contained a detailed description of an area few have seen. I really would like the record amended and I know that only she can do that. I must raise the matter with my GP.

I haven’t got a lot of these letters but I do find the NHS app very useful. A recent example was a repeat blood test as something flagged up on the first one. I had it done but then heard nothing further. By looking on the notes on the app, I could see what was recorded and that the GP stated no further action was needed. It had stabilised. So, for me, I found it all useful.

I've had two spelling mistakes on my records. One indicated that I had secondary cancer (I don't) rather than age-related spine degeneration (I do). The other said I had myeloma, which is blood cancer (I don't) and not melanoma (I did).

I've also had corrections made about my smoking status. I'm a former smoker (from a long time ago), not a "never smoker". This could make a difference as to whether I am called up for screening. I also had on my records that I refused to go to an obesity clinic, even though I've never even been overweight. There are also mistakes in a letter to a hospital about my medications.

I accept that staff are busy, but it's not acceptable for mistakes like this to be made, especially as there is no continuity of care and staff rely on written records.

dalrymple23

In answer to both the above comments: I am quite happy to receive these letters - as long as they are accurate! One consultant would not take me on because I was a heavy smoker! I don't smoke!

Secondly, GPs only really read the first paragraph on the consultant's letter which gives a precis of the diagnosis. If you want to find out more or get clarification, you need to ask the GP for a translation of the exact bits.

presumably they read the last paragraph too where any drug amendments (that GP may prescribe) are likely to be listed & actions for GP / practice. (although this is more relevant - as more changes - with inpatient discharge summaries)