Your Practice Letterhead]
[Date]
To: [Integrated Care Board (ICB) Representative]
Dear [Recipient],
Re: Follow-Up of Diagnostic Test Results Following Patient Discharge
We are writing to highlight an issue regarding the follow-up of investigations and diagnostic test results for [Patient Name]. Specifically, we have encountered the following:
- [Option a: A copy of an investigation result has been received from the [Department Name] of [Hospital Name], without confirmation that it has been reviewed or actioned by the requesting clinician.]
- [Option b: A request has been made for our practice to follow up on diagnostic test results performed during a patient’s hospital admission or as part of secondary care.]
In both cases, it is our understanding that the responsibility for reviewing and acting on these results lies with the requesting clinician, as per NHS England’s published standards for communication of diagnostic test results.
General practice is already operating under unprecedented pressures. Assuming responsibility for tasks that should be managed within secondary care settings compromises our ability to deliver safe and efficient primary care services.
We kindly request that this matter is addressed and that processes are reinforced to ensure secondary care settings handle these responsibilities as intended.
The text of this letter has been provided by Surrey and Sussex Local Medical Committees to ensure consistency of purpose. It reflects the principles of the recently authored interface document in use across Sussex and similar documents under development in other areas covered by the LMCs.
We trust this issue will be reviewed and resolved promptly. Should you require further discussion or clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Position]
[Your Practice]
Template Letter: Response to Follow-Up of Investigations and Diagnostic Test Results (46kB docx)