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) Submit an eLetter View responses 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 HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Marzanski, M. Articles by Coupe, T. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Marzanski, M. Articles by Coupe, T.

Copying letters to patients: a study of patients’ views

Coventry Teaching Primary Care Trust, Caludon Centre, Clifford Bridge Road, Coventry CV2 2TE

Padmapriya Musunuri, Senior House Officer

Coventry Teaching Primary Care Trust

Tim Coupe, Clinical Effectiveness Officer

Coventry Teaching Primary Care Trust

Declaration of interest

None.

AIMS & METHOD

To investigate patients’ views on receiving copies of letters sent by their healthcare professionals, 72 patients were asked about their willingness to receive a copy of the letter sent to their general practitioner and about preferences for the type of information to be included in such letters. We also asked what concerns, if any, they had about the process.

RESULTS

Three-quarters of the respondents (n=55) said they would like to receive a copy of the letter. Patients accepted the inclusion of information about their illness but were reluctant for data about their family, work and finances to be included.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Although the majority of the patients we interviewed wished to have the copy letter, many of them expressed concerns about confidentiality, the risk of distress and the cost of the process to the National Health Service. The rights of those who do not want copy letters should also be respected.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Mason and D. Rice Does a business-like letter written for a general practitioner meet the standards for patients? Psychiatr. Bull., July 1, 2008; 32(7): 259 - 262. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Combe, C. Short, and H. Stephens Copying letters to families: attitudes and experiences of child and adolescent psychiatrists Psychiatr. Bull., November 1, 2006; 30(11): 413 - 415. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Uher and C. Timehin Managing patients' information in a community mental health team Psychiatr. Bull., May 1, 2006; 30(5): 172 - 174. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

eLetters: