Correcting inaccuracies in consultant letter [UK]

[InitialConditions]

I'm under a rheumatologist at the moment, who's actually quite helpful. The last correspondence I got from him after a telephone review appointment contained some innaccuracies, although they weren't malicious in anyway. The letter was sent to my GP, as is standard practise.

I'm going to write to him to correct these innacuracies. Has anyone any experience of this within the NHS? Should my consultant then issue a new, revised letter, or will it be enough to ask that my letter is added to my hospital and GP records?

 

[Invisible Woman]

I have had to do this.

I wrote a polite letter to the consultant involved explaining what was wrong and why, keeping it as brief and to the point as possible. I also made sure to thank them for their time and care.

Then I waited to see what response I got. I got a reply but the GP wasn't copied in so I sent both my letter to the consultant plus reply along with a covering letter explaining that a mistake had been made and requesting that the enclosed letters be added to my GP record.

 

[Kitty]

My rheumatologist insisted that I had fibromyalgia. I may have – certainly have the pain – but I've never been diagnosed with it. She's the only who told me in all seriousness that ME and FMS are the same thing...anyway, I asked her to change it when I got to my next appointment, and she did.

 

[Barry]

My strategy, no matter in what context, is to always seek written positive confirmation of something by reply. Otherwise you could send your letter and you would never be any the wiser if it was not actioned. Or some time later if all you had was verbal reply, if there were no paperwork trail then the conversation could be denied. So either a letter back to you superseding the first one, or written confirmation that your letter is being attached as an update to the original.

 

[MeSci]

I haven't had any changes made to the multiple inaccuracies I found in my record, other than, if I remember rightly, the inclusion of my letter detailing them, which I doubt whether anyone will have time to look at in addition to the official records.

 

[DigitalDrifter]

She's the only who told me in all seriousness that ME and FMS are the same thing...anyway

ME and Fibromyalgia are certainly not the same thing. Fibromyalgia symptoms are considered inconsequential and actually improved by exercise. It can be be dangerous for an ME patient to be misdiagnosed as having Fibromyalgia (as it was in my case).