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Standard template for letters to general practitioners

Humber Mental Health Teaching NHS Trust, Victoria Dock, Hull HU9 1PQ, email: vijayendra_waykar{at}rediffmail.com

Dinniss et al (Psychiatric Bulletin, September 2006, 30, 334–336) demonstrated the impact of a standardised admission form on admission booking by psychiatric trainees. A similar audit was completed in our local trust (Bransholme) and showed considerable improvement in practice after the introduction of a standard template for writing letters from the out-patient clinic to the general practitioner.

The template combined recommendations from various sources, including Pullen & Yellowlees (1985) and College guidelines for new patient assessment (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2001). The template stressed the inclusion of the diagnosis in each letter along with the ICD–10 code. The main focus of the template was encouraging trainees to use the bio-psychosocial approach while explaining the management plan in the letter.

Prior to the introduction of the standard template, trainees missed out important information such as diagnosis with the ICD–10 code and prognosis from the letter. Most trainees left out documentation of explanation of the condition to the patient, the item identified as important by general practitioners in the survey of Pullen & Yellowlees (1985)

The results of the completed audit cycle confirmed the effectiveness of the standard template. We also received positive feedback from general practitioners, many of whom thought that the standardised letters conveyed much more information. The standard template not only resulted in improved communication with the general practitioner but also helped trainees to prepare for the Membership examinations.

References

PULLEN, I. M. & YELLOWLEES, A. J. (1985) Is communication improving between general practitioners and psychiatrists? BMJ, 290, 31 –33.[Medline]

ROYAL COLLEGE OF PSYCHIATRISTS (2001) Curriculum for Basic Specialist Training and the MRCPsych Examination. Royal College of Psychiatrists. http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/files/pdfversion/cr95.pdf

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted 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 Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Waykar, V. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Waykar, V.