To think the hospital were wrong not to use this lady's correct title?

[PumpkinPie2016]

A friend of my husband has recently had a short stay in hospital (a few days). This last is well into her 80's now but worked her whole life as a doctor. She was the first female GP in our area and has an MBE and, as you can imagine, she worked incredibly hard for her qualification and during her career. As a result, she of course has the title Dr.

When my husband visited her in hospital, he noticed that her name on the board was down as Mrs X rather than Dr X. My husband pointed out to the nurse that Dr X had never married and so her title wasn't Mrs but Dr (he was very polite about it!). The nurse was adamant she would change it to Miss but not Dr and no matter what DH or the last herself said, the nurse would only change it to Miss. The following day, a different visitor pointed it out to a different staff member but again it was left as Miss.

Over the 4 day stay, the title varied from Mrs to Miss, back to Mrs then Miss and finally Ms. All of this lady's identification, labels from pharmacy medication, medical records etc have her title as Dr.

Now, I know that in the grand scheme of things it's not a huge deal and there are bigger things to worry about in the world, however, I can't help but think that it's hugely disrespectful to deliberately give someone an incorrect title? I also cannot fathom what the problem was with giving her the correct title?

So, can any hospital staff shed any light? And AIBU to think that they should have used her correct title.

I’ve worked with lots of Doctors when I was younger and they were generally entitled brats!
but you are definitely not unreasonable for letting staff know that you’re friends/ relative was a young female GP.

We always call a doctor, doctor. Or more often Doc if they’re old colleagues. We don’t write anyone’s title on their name board though, it’s just ‘James Smith (Jimmy)’ for example.

Some doctors say ‘please, just call me Helen’, so we do.

I don't think I've ever seen a board with titles on, and aren't they generally hidden from view these days? They are where I work. :/

daisypond I've never been laughed at for using my Dr title...and I damn well use it in any situation I please after 5 years of hard work to become an authority on my subject!

This woman in hospital should be allowed to be addressed by her title if she wants to be. Bet there would be apologies all around if it were a man who insisted on his correct title!

We always call a doctor, doctor. Or more often Doc if they’re old colleagues.

Dr and Doc aren't the same. They're different titles.

It’s an affectionate term. Nothing more, nothing less.

I'm sure as an unmarried woman she didn't want to be called mrs

As a doctor, I disagree.

‘Dr’ is only a courtesy title that we use to practise. We do not have PhDs.

I cal myself ‘Dr’ for work, but never use the title in my home life.

When I retire I will no longer call myself ‘Dr’.

The hospital are entirely correct.

As a practicing medical doctor I prefer anonymity while in hospital as a patient as other patients when they find out ask for you opinion for one and staff treat you differently and at times presume you know what’s going on and don’t give you the info / support they may give none medical patients - at end of day for me it’s all about patient preference and I would choose first name

You are entitled to use the title as you earned it, has nothing to do with whether you are practicing or not. Dh has dr on his passport etc because he earned it, and yes when he had an op, it said dr on his wristband (he wasn't in long enough to have a bed!)

I find it odd that there would be support for a hospital refusing to call an elderly patient 'Dr' if she wished and had spent 40 years practicing as a local gp as it was 'correct'.

All the retired Drs I know still use their title. Which is also odd as apparently this is quite unusual.

Friend of mine is a Dr (Psychology Lecturer).

She was treated as a hysterical woman making a fuss about nothing when her youngest was born, to the extent of being told that if she continued to refuse antidepressant medication, they'd have to involve Social Services.

After a bit of a pep talk from her husband, who was working overseas at the time, she got her records amended to say Dr. The moment she walked into a consulting room where they knew she was Dr [Name], not Miss [Name], everything changed. Her concerns were taken seriously and tests were ordered/a referral made.

Her child had a liver transplant a few months later - had she not done that, she thinks that her DC would have died before anybody listened to her.

Every Dr, whatever the specific nature of the qualification, has worked damn hard for their title and, unfortunately, female Drs need to use it or they will be treated as badly as other women.

My 91 yo FIL is a PhD Dr. He has always been called Dr. If we write to him we write Dr XX on the envelope. I would be very cross if anyone refused to call him this. It is part of his identity.

My view is your professional title should only be used in a professional capacity. Many people’s professions have seen them work hard, earn high level qualifications and serve the community but they don’t require a title and certainly not in their personal life. Just my view!

Possibly because the hospital staff were too preoccupied with helping her and many others to get well and/or saving lives.
A little perspective goes a long way

So some of you on the thread would say 100% hospitals should not go with the wishes of elderly patients in this regard?

So apollo's 91 yo dad should definitely be called Mr if he needs to go to hosp? Or even for any medical appts or anything?

Everyone I know with a PhD uses it as their title. Retired, working, medical professionals and just those with a PhD. They earned it. It is their formal title.

Apollo my dad is the same but not as old!

I work on an elderly female medical ward. We use no titles.

Just “Barbara Jones” not Mrs, Miss or Dr Barbara Jones. However - if a ward IS using titles, then they need to be correct.

My mum is less fussed but maybe it's as she often lost her title anyway when referred to with my dad.

Then you should be Doc/Doctor insert name here and not Dr. at all... Most doctors I actually know do also have PhDs so why are you the odd one out?

@independentgroupie ^ that was for you

Loads of elderly people prefer a more formal mode of address though don't they?

I know some who get very shirty if they are called eg Dave instead of Mr Smith.

I'm surprised TBH.

I rather wonder why on the board there needs to be anything at all..... can understand name and prefers to be called by but title?

Plenty of older people find it overly informal to be addressed by first name by people they don't know.

It's such a small thing I'm surprised patient wishes are ignored.