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Original poster

Are hospital letters supposed to do this?

114 replies

LanguidLobster · 14/10/2018 21:12

I'd already had a letter from them about next appointment so wasn't expecting another one and opened it thinking it was something else but the first paragraph was describing how exceptionally nice I was.

I nearly kung fu kicked over the hospital bed last time I was in. I squinted suspiciously at this.

Is this Orwellian double speak? Just didn't expect that and wondered if that was standard speak which hospitals do

OP posts:
FFSOMG · 14/10/2018 21:14

Consultants often write “I had the pleasure of meeting this intelligent young woman” (or similar) I find. Just being nice, I assumed.

FaithInfinity · 14/10/2018 21:15

Oh yes they do that sometimes. It’s a bizarre Doctor introduction thing. I worked with a consultant who said that ‘this pleasant lady’ was code for middle class! Not sure how true it is...

Borisdaspide · 14/10/2018 21:16

Yeah, it's basically code for "unlikely to kick off"

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MrsSchadenfreude · 14/10/2018 21:16

It means you are polite, middle class and unlikely to stab or attack the staff - “this very pleasant person.”

My mother is a cow to hospital staff and is rude to everybody and her letters never refer to her as being pleasant.

Stormwhale · 14/10/2018 21:17

I was called an extremely pleasant young woman on my last letter. I don't know why they do it.

Original poster
LanguidLobster · 14/10/2018 21:18

Oh I'm glad it's standard!!

Thank you :)

OP posts:
IAmRubbishAtDIY · 14/10/2018 21:19

I saw a letter from a gp to consultant once, it said, 'I am terribly sorry to inflict this patient on you'.

Ohyesiam · 14/10/2018 21:21

Ex nurse here.
Consultants will always write some thing complementary in the first sentence, so that missing it out speaks volumes. It’s only used for really difficult patients, but it is used.
So op, you are obviously not too difficult, despite the martial arts!

frogsoup · 14/10/2018 21:21

I know it's standard but I do still really like it, the last one described me as a 'delightful young lady' (I am 41) Grin

bottledatsource · 14/10/2018 21:24

Yes what MrsSchadenfreude said. It means you are reassuringly unlikely to kick off

AviatorShades · 14/10/2018 21:24

A friend's copy letter from her previous GP to her new one started "this neurotic lady"....thing is, it's true!Grin

YetAnotherThing · 14/10/2018 21:27

its A certain generation of Consultant (and usually male) that does this. Don’t be offended if it’s not on your letter as definitely disappearing. I tend to now say “I reviewed this lady/man routinely/urgently in clinic x today...” . I’ve noticed a few overseas trained doctors picking it up, possibly thinking it’s normal English...

bottledatsource · 14/10/2018 21:29

Mine usually start.....I wonder if you could offer this blah de blah year old lady some reassurance. Meaning Jesus Christ I've told her a million times there's nothing wrong with her so step up and get her off my back Grin

notangelinajolie · 14/10/2018 21:30

Ha yes! DH had a referral for extensive dental treatment at dental hospital and during appointment dentist left the room. Being noisy he had a quick peep into his file. Referral letter described him as a very nice man ShockGrin

Saymaname · 14/10/2018 21:30

Yes my mum had one, said something like, I would like for you to meet this lovely young lady.

notangelinajolie · 14/10/2018 21:31

Doh! Nosy not noisy.

Original poster
LanguidLobster · 14/10/2018 21:32

Sorry all of these are making me laugh - I suddenly thought I'd had enough at last appointment and kicked around my legs to get off the bed and told everyone to get away from me.

@frogsoup bet you are

@Ohyesiam thank you, I'll try to behave in future

@Aviator oh no!!

OP posts:
mybumpismostlypudding · 14/10/2018 21:39

I had one that referred to me as a delightful young lady... given how rude the doctor had been to me, I assumed it was sarcastic! I think I feel slightly better knowing that lots of people have had these letters!

HIVpos · 14/10/2018 21:40

Oh no...and I thought I was special Grin I’ve had some lovely starts to,letters - mostly saying I’m pleasant, also very patient (prob code speak for how fed up I was but still being polite coz that’s the way I was brought up 😐).

Interesting to see what others get 🙄

RowenaDedalus · 14/10/2018 21:43

I once had a ‘it was a pleasure to meet this handsome young woman’!!!

AviatorShades · 14/10/2018 21:43

LanguidLobster oh yes!!Grin Thing is, she'd a widow of 80+ and craving attention, so is literally at her GP's every week or so...hurty toe,greasy hair,whatever,whatever. Previous Dr. must have sighed a sigh of genuine relief to have off-loaded her. People like her, wonder if they'd be as quick to see a dr. if they had to pay and,of course,she's been taking up a slot someone else could have .

Crownandheelshigh · 14/10/2018 21:44

My sons from his consultants and peads drs (born prem and now 14 months old) always say "I had the pleasure of seeing the delightful young Logan today...." I thought it was weird as non of my apps do but now see it's the normal xx

Speakeasy22 · 14/10/2018 21:48

I was described as a "very interesting woman" in my consultant's letter... What's that code for??

Sallygoroundthemoon · 14/10/2018 21:48

Years ago I was described as a pleasant lady of medium build. I was in my 20s and 8 stone. Thanks doctor. My life summed up as pleasant and not as thin as I thought I was.

Tawdrylocalbrouhaha · 14/10/2018 21:50

It's standard, they sometimes get quite specific - "Thank you for referring this anxious 38 year old Maltese Submariner to my Urodynamics Clinic".

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