Consultant code?

[Aingeful]

I usually get a copy of the letters that my Consultants send to my GP. I have often read "I saw this lovely lady at my clinic this morning......." or sometimes "very pleasant lady" and wondered if they used certain words as codes? Is there anyone in the medical profession that could shine a bit of light on this? I did ask my GP and he just laughed, and said ,well they're hardly going to write " I saw this grumpy old git.........." Anyone else wondering about this? Sheila

[Jomo46]

I get these as well from dr Spencer at aintree. Is she your consultant?.

X joanna

[Aingeful in reply to Jomo46]

Hi Joanna, I have only seen Dr Spencer once. I don't live in Liverpool but was asked if I wanted to take part in the drugs trail and I went down to discuss it. I refused this after much thought so just see two Consultants in my home town now. They all use the same terminology!!

[Caspiana]

Hi Aingeful . I'd like to think they mean exactly as they write. You are a lovely and very pleasant lady. xx 😊😊

[joyce74]

My cancer consultant wrote Thank you for referring this very pleasant lady ... Maybe saying this little wrinkly lady? They are not going to tell us are they Sheila

[sueysue]

I have had a few consultants letters and they all say the same lol. But then I AM a very pleasant Lady

[bwp91]

Definitely code. I’m not sure what’s said or not said (fortunately as I’m not an aggressive, rude .....) but it prepares other HCPs. Presumably they warn if patients are unlikely to understand too . Fraid they can be rude e.g. NFN = normal for Norfolk! Sorry Norfolk.

[katieoxo60 in reply to bwp91]

I beleive they do use codes on occassions, less words to write.Years ago I had a word on my letter that mean't beneath this patients itelligence, of course I have proved them wrong on many occassions since Sometimes their jargon is offensive to some patients comes across as if you are not a human being with feelings, or you are just a nuisance. Guess different consultants speak differently when choosing their words.

[Aingeful in reply to bwp91]

[Hacienda]

Ha Ha , Mine says " Saw Carolina Today" and her "Lovely Husband", my Consultant is The "Lovely Amy" Read what you will. My GP, She thinks the same. Ha Ha . Love The "Codes" xxxxx

[2greys]

I have wondered about this on more than one occasion, after all how can they really know what we are like from a 10 min appointment. Apparently I am a "kind gentleman".

[Ergendl in reply to 2greys]

Clearly you didn't bite the consultant's ankle before you left.

[2greys in reply to Ergendl]

Lol, it's been 68 years since I was an ankle biter.

[Aingeful in reply to 2greys]

Love it!! Lol!

[Hidden]

These consultants know that you are most likely to read the letter. I believe that this is something that they have been advised to do in letter protocol. The purpose is to make the patient feel good about themselves and create an empathy and trust between patient and consultant. I have had several of these on visits to new consultants for different issues.

But hey, when you have had this relationship for over 15 years the letters tend to begin like this

‘ this lady ( my name) came to see me and told me what she wanted us to do’

😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[Matilda_1922]

I once received a GPs letter saying I was seen in clinic accompanied by my daughter who is a specialist nurse. In fact I attended alone and my daughter lives abroad. I was the specialist nurse.

When in practice I used to write my letters after seeing my patients.

[katieoxo60]

Have to be honest most letters just say I saw this lady in clinic today and usually mention your age. Good to have a nice comment don't you think?.

[MoyB]

Here in Sussex the letters have referred to me as 'very pleasant', 'lovely' and even 'delightful'. Can't think why! Always thought it was code for something too!! xx Moy

[Pjmf]

I’ve had lovely lady from more than one consultant. I thought it might be code for ‘not a troublemaker’! However, my excellent but slightly buttoned up consultant at the Brompton wrote nothing like that, so then I felt there might be something wrong! However, last visit he told me he had written in the notes from a year before, ‘amazing’ ! Medical members of my family say it doesn’t mean anything. Hey ho!

[Julier1955]

Hi, well I’ve not had my letters yet but was at hospital on Wednesday for Echo and Advanced Lung Function test. What I did encounter though was the lovely receptionist who decided to shout from her desk is Pretty Woman sat in the glass waiting room please ?

Needless to say everybody ignored her but their eyes were scanning the waiting room looking for this long legged long haired infectious smiling vision called Julia Roberts when in fact their faces fell to the length of the old gasman’s mac when they saw me, 5’4” of pure lard, grey hair, legs smaller than a dachshund with a Manchester accent to beat Liam Gallagher.

She was happy (at 8.00am) in the morning like wickedly happy, she knew everyone by name and was the nicest lady I’ve ever met in the administration teams anywhere.

So, when I get my letters which could be anytime from Monday onwards I’ll update you on the coding within .......... watch this space and don’t have nightmares 🧐

[joyce74 in reply to Julier1955]

That's made me laugh, let us know what's written on your copy letter, good job you have a sense of humour x

[Julier1955 in reply to joyce74]

I will Joyce and yes my humour is up there now where it used to be. I’ve gotten over the shock of ailments, might as well run with them otherwise you’d go mad wouldn’t you. Take care x

[joyce74 in reply to Julier1955]

😋 x

[Fennella02 in reply to Julier1955]

Ha ha 🤣🤣

[Aingeful in reply to Julier1955]

[illawarra]

That is interesting. I like the idea of describing the patient. Here in Oz they just say, thank you for seeing Noeleen and the age!!

[majji]

I also get that same "lovely lady" starter and cynically assume that it is definitely a code for other doctors - having said that I always hug my breast surgeon upon meeting and departing as I have been seeing her for six years and hopefully will continue to .......

[skischool]

i am a bit like LP and get "he is extremely well informed about his condition" which is code for "the little s**t knew more about his condition than i do".

Ski's and Scruff's x

[Aingeful in reply to skischool]

I laughed at this as my consultant once wrote" this lady has thoroughly researched her condition on the internet!!

[Rebecca6 in reply to skischool]

This made me laugh because it is probably true - not that you're a little s---- but that you knew more than he did!

[majji in reply to skischool]

SirSki - I splashed my glasses earlier and misread your first line as "he is extremely well endowed" ........

[skischool in reply to majji]

Chance would be a fine thing,welcome back majji and hoping you are recovering well from the chemo nastiness.

Ski's and Scruff's x

[majji in reply to skischool]

Thank you SirSki - It wasn't too bad yesterday so I will assume it will carry on in that way - digits crossed ...

[skischool in reply to majji]

All digits suitable crossed for you ,i am endowed with very flexible fingers and toes but let's just keep that to ourselves. xx

[majji in reply to skischool]

But of course SirSki - lips are sealed

[Aingeful in reply to majji]

Lol...

[majji in reply to Aingeful]

Lovely lols Aingeful ....

[ccccc]

I haven't had any comments like this from my respiratory consultants but many years ago I saw a consultant about a problem with my big toe and found out years later he wrote I had a "personal hygiene problem" because he thought my toe nails were a bit long! Needless to say this was before patients were copied into letters.

[Badbessie]

I worked in medicine for many years. Yes at times in the notes there are abbreviations etc but normally when a Doctor states "This pleasant lady" it is out of politeness rather than anything else. My GP always starts his referal letters to specialists about me in the following way. Could you please kindly see this knowledgeable 59 year old man who worked for many years as a nurse. I cannot understand why my occupation should be that important unless it's a warning that I bite if fobbed off with inaccurate information.

[Aingeful in reply to Badbessie]

Probably code for "Know-it-all"

[JonathanPittsCrick in reply to Badbessie]

As a consultant it's helpful to know if a patients being referred work in a clinical field or have taken the troube to research thier condition as it can indicate a different starting point to the discussion of their case. I always try to explain, in as much detail as is wanted, the causes, value of investigations and treatment options for the condition and it avoids the need to go over very basic biology if they already know about it.

[Fennella02]

My letters always used to start with the niceties followed by age, marital status, maternal status and occupation but they haven’t done for years. I assumed that it is now considered a waste of secretarial time and also perhaps discriminatory unless it has any bearing on health or treatment.

I didn’t realise it still went on TBH.

[leakeadea]

Oh my goodness, I've been called "a very pleasant lady" or similar, many times in my hospital letters and I'm now thinking it must be code😯!!!

Not because I'm not "a very pleasant lady" because I know I am "a VERY pleasant lady", if that makes sense?

I've never thought anything of it, when receiving letters from doctors/specialists that I have a really good relationship with because I would describe them as "very pleasant doctors/specialists" myself.

I'm going to look thru my hospital letters tomorrow, to see if the same thing has ever been written in letters I've received from what I would describe as "not so pleasant doctors/specialists"!!

That way I will know if it's "code"!🤔

Claire 😉

[JonathanPittsCrick]

No there is no code in "very pleasant" etc. – it just means what it says. Most patients (in my experience) are very pleasant, at least to me. But to avoid the obvious problem of how to describe the rare not-very-pleasant patient, I personally never comment on pleasantness or anything else judgemental, only on features relevant to their illness or treatment, e.g. "this very athletic..." or "this airline pilot", plus their age. I did recently write "remarkable" to describe a lady of 104 who is still quite active and completely on-the-ball, but I think that exception was justified!

[Aingeful in reply to JonathanPittsCrick]

Thanks Jonathan, that's really helpful! "This very athletic....." is something to aim for, back to Pulmonary Rehab for me!!

[Hidden]

Lol yeah I get a lot of “I was pleased to see this young man in clinic” or “I had the pleasure of reviewing this gentleman” and I *hope* they at least somewhat mean it 😂

[Soul01]

Take it at face value. There is no code here! The doctor clearly liked your manner. It’s a compliment!!

[megshafer]

It is not a code. It's is pleasantries most all physicians use them especially to a referring physician. It means you were a good patient!! I worked for a group of physicians here in U.S. I only rarely saw the beginning of a letter say different. And, it was understandable, very understandable.

Meg

[Aingeful]

Thanks all,I feel a lot more reassured! I see two consultants the Lung Consultant and a Rheumatologist for my osteo arthritis. They both use these pleasantries and the Rheumatologist did once say that he enjoyed talking to me!

[Dedalus]

LOL - I keep seeing that and wonder about the same thing x