Doctors in Britain are being urged to write outpatient clinic letters in plain English and address them to their patients, rather than using technical medical language written to the patient’s general practitioner (GP). The new recommendations are set out in a publication called ‘Please, write to me. Writing outpatient clinic letters to patients. Guidance.’ by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.
About Outpatient Clinic Letters
Outpatient clinic letters are typically written by hospital doctors to the patient’s general practitioner to inform them about the patient’s healthcare. With an estimated five million outpatient visits each month in England (60 million per year), according to the publication, outpatient clinic letters are the most frequently written type of letter in the National Health Service.
Using Plain English
New guidelines from the AMRC recommend that doctors change their writing style to address the patient directly and use in plain English. The letters can then also be shared with the GP. For example, the report asks doctors to write ‘twice daily’ instead of the Latin abbreviation ‘bd’, or say ‘kidney’ instead of ‘renal’.
The Reason for the New Guidelines
In its publication, the AMRC highlights how important it is for doctors to keep patients informed of their health and healthcare options, and to fully involve patients in decisions about their treatment.
Patient Feedback
Before publishing the recommendation, a trial of the new system was carried out in a haematology clinic, with very positive results from both patients and clinicians. The doctors who changed their letter-writing style said that their communication has become more patient-centred.
The patient response was also supportive; one patient said ‘I can now understand the treatment I am having for my illness and I’m happy to know that I’m making some progress along the way.’ Other patients also pointed out the benefits of having an understandably written record of their appointment, saying that it helped them to remember conversations with their doctor, and point out any mistakes the doctor had made.
These changes, according to the publication, are hoped to make the letters “more informative, supportive, and useful” for patients.
