Any doctors here? Secret code? Flattery?

[AyDeeAitchDee]

Hi all.

So I've had various medical appointments lately.

And get copied in to the letters from various doctors back to my GP.

And they all LOVE me the letters all start like:

"I saw this delightful woman today"

"I had the pleasure of meeting with this lovely lady today"

Etc etc.

Now I'm polite and all. But don't warrant this sort of flattery.

So I'm guessing it's some sort of code?

Would love to be filled in please. Or just hear theories.

My latest was ‘this pleasant nulliparous lady’ - ah the old flatterer!

As a student nurse a gazillion years ago I once read a letter to a GP from a consultant who'd undertaken a Domiciliary Visit' (Do they even do those now?) to an elderly woman

It said

"I met Mrs X, her husband, daughter, grandchild and pet rabbit. The rabbit was by far the most cognitively intact"

We've come a long way

Ah, Now I know why they thought it relevant to describe me as 'intelligent investigative journalist' I did wonder what my profession and intellect had to do with my injured foot.....

Sounds like unnecessary flannel.

My gynaecologist described me as “this charming and delightful lady” 😆

Ah, Now I know why they thought it relevant to describe me as 'intelligent investigative journalist' I did wonder what my profession and intellect had to do with my injured foot.....

Ah, that means 'watch out for this one, they're trouble'

Posts about banned abbreviations and codes remind me of a story I was told ages ago. A new receptionist at a Pediatrics clinic was puzzled that some files were marked GLM and these children were always seen by the chief himself. She was baffled as the cases varied from serious to quite trivial. She was eventually told it stood for ‘good looking mother’.

I got “I spent a lot of time answering this concerned mother’s many questions....”

The consult was 4 minutes and I wanted to know why having been referred for a tonsillectomy he’d decided to just remove my sons adenoids?!

@Babdoc

I’m a retired doctor. 40 years ago, newly qualified, I was horrified to see a discharge letter to the GP from my eccentric consultant (later Professor) which opened with: “This mentally challenged patient from the rough end of A-ville presented to my clinic...” It turned out that the patient was his colleague, friend and neighbour! He was noted for his dodgy sense of humour.

Ha ha!

I also had a client once about 20 years ago (in a court case I’m a lawyer) whose psychiatrist wrote “this extremely over weight lady waddled into my room with her rolls of fat wobbling as she walked...’
the barrister told her she should report him to gmc and she said no it’s fine I fat.

Barrister left the room and she said to me I may be fat but that barrister stinks of BO and proceeded to take her perfume out and spray the room!! I was in parts impressed and also mortified by all of it!!

@damekindness

As a student nurse a gazillion years ago I once read a letter to a GP from a consultant who'd undertaken a Domiciliary Visit' (Do they even do those now?) to an elderly woman

It said

"I met Mrs X, her husband, daughter, grandchild and pet rabbit. The rabbit was by far the most cognitively intact"

We've come a long way

😲 That was probably quite accurate though.

That’s standard for consultants letters....I type up letters for consultants following their clinics, and there’s a formal layout they all use for all letters and they all have those lovely terms of endearment 🤣

I went to a go once about a complaint in my wrist which restricted movement massively. He was starting to fob me off and say to see how I got on and you may need physio. My 4 year old chirped up my mum works in physio. He booked an xray gave pain killers and referred straight for physio. After asking what my colleagues thought. Another time my nephew was ill I taken respiratory rate and hr rate and explained all the extra muscles he was using to 111 then sent an ambulance I then explained what my findings were when the ambulance arrived they were not impressed.

Nurse of 40 plus years here. This FLK but GLM (funny looking kid but great looking mum). Have also heard This rather sickening but never seen Code - UNBE (unnecessary breast examination) 😡😡😡

Years ago my brother went in anaphylaxis at breakfast many years ago. My SIL was then his girlfriend. He was dressed but we were both in our nighties, we rushed him to A&E in the car. When we got there they whipped him off and we sat looking sheepish, they then called us both in to ask what had happened. This doctor said, who is X's wife, and we both said, neither of us! She asked nothing more on that front. I wonder what went on the notes.

Standard wording I'm afraid

It’s quite an effective way to share information. Most of DS’s letters if they’re referral letters to other services say “I recently had the pleasure of seeing MiniMaxwell, DS of my wonderful colleague Fenella” or something, which lets them know I also work for the NHS, but I’m not likely to be an arse.

I get letters like this too. It helps that one if my surgeons is really hot

Maybe they think you're delightful and lovely?

I kept a letter the consultant wrote when I was referred to orthodontics; "Thank you for referring this young lady..."

OK he didn't think I was lovely, but I didn't care. I was 49 at the time, so "young" was enough !!

I think it’s archaic and not that appropriate . Stick to facts

I also hate this. I don't think it belongs in this era. Who is a doctor to make a decision on my character and why is it relevant to me receiving healthcare?

My teenage DD gets 'delightful young lady, who attended with her lawyer mother'.

They know she's not delightful but I'll sie their asses if they say otherwise! (Kidding. I wouldn't!)

DD2's referral to a more senior consultant included "mum very anxious, could you please reassure her..." which pissed me off, I can read between the lines well enough to know that means I'm being annoying but you would be too with a very poorly baby and nobody willing to investigate further

Dd2 always gets “utterly delightful little girl” - she could charm anyone that kid!

Do those of you who dislike doctors having authority consider what happens when they don’t?

It goes hand in hand with a society of individual ‘rights’ without accompanying ‘responsibilities,’ where everyone is an expert and nobody has the authority.

Same in schools. Teachers try to exercise authority, parents storm into school to defend their kids.

So this morning, when yuh see the images of young people in Liverpool partying in the street, just think where their attitude comes from. How dare anyone act in a way that might be viewed as authoritarian.