HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS British Journal of Psychiatry Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Data supplement A correction has been published Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Google Scholar Articles by Mason, J. Articles by Rice, D. PubMed Articles by Mason, J. Articles by Rice, D.

Does a business-like letter written for a general practitioner meet the standards for patients?

^*West Oxfordshire Community Mental Health Team for Older Adults, Welch Way, Witney, Oxfordshire OX28 6JQ, email: jdtmason{at}msn.com

Daphne Rice, Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry

Newbury Community Mental Health Team for Older Adults, Beechcroft, Berkshire

Declaration of interest

None.

AIMS AND METHOD

To gauge the acceptability of copying a business-like clinic letter for general practitioners, written by a doctor working in the Newbury Community Mental Health Team for Older Adults. Between August 2004 and March 2006 every letter written by each doctor was stored electronically. The letters contained a clear statement of the diagnosis, the active problems and a bullet-point care plan. Any concerns or reactions to the letters were documented as they were received. Between September and October 2006, 50 service user or carer recipients of the letters were sent a questionnaire, checking whether the letter met standards of clarity, helpfulness and content.

RESULTS

Over 20 months 427 service users and carers received a total of 731 letters. One carer asked for the letter not to be sent in future; four carers asked for details of the letter to be modified; in only one was the content of the letter to the general practitioner modified before it was sent to the service user. The questionnaire about the suitability of the clinic letter had a 90% reply rate and all respondents said the letters were clear, understandable and that their content was of no surprise to them.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

This report of a successful use of a frank business-like letter copied to service users or carers should be understood in the context of the following factors: the doctor who wrote them was familiar with and confident about the clinical work and comfortable with the style of the letter; he had a good rapport with a generally well-educated population and positive support from his colleagues. With these factors in place, the direct style of the letter was well received by patients and carers.