Sir, - Fintan O'Toole's excellent article on the right of patients to see their own files (January 5th) draws attention to some serious deficiencies in our hospital system and in the communication habits of the medical profession. From my own recent experience as an in patient in a Dublin hospital, I would like to add just two points.
First, medical treatment is supposed to be carried out on the basis of the patient's "informed consent"; but how can the patient give his consent if he does not have access to the information?
Secondly, when I finally managed to engage a doctor in an adult conversation (as opposed, to what passes for communication during the ward rounds) and complained that I was starved of information, I was told something to the effect that "it's only a routine procedure, so there really isn't anything to discuss". When will they ever learn? It may be routine for the doctor, but that doesn't prevent it being a once in a lifetime experience for the patient. - Yours, etc.,
St Fintan's Crescent,
Sutton, Dublin 13.