BMJ  2004;328:1317-1318 (29 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7451.1317-a

Letter

Doctors' communication of trust, care, and respect

Details of paper were incorrect

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Burkitt Wright et al have not attended one of my group's communication skills courses; yet that doesn't stop them from saying that patients valued forms of communication that are currently not emphasised in training and research, and did not intrinsically value others that are currently thought important, including provision of information and choice.¹ Apart from the breathtakingly absurd suggestion that a qualitative analysis of views of 39 women with breast cancer should overturn painstaking research and survey findings gathered by many, their assertions are factually incorrect.

Firstly, we always ensure that patient needs inform the content of communication skills courses by involving patient groups and considering empirical research findings.

Secondly, patient centredness is a core component of our courses, which includes learning how to tailor information giving, providing choice if wanted, responding appropriately to patient led cues, and expressing empathy and respect.

Thirdly, each day CancerBACUP receives many . . . [Full text of this article]

Cancer Research UK Psychosocial Oncology Group, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Falmer, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 9QG L.J.Fallowfield@sussex.ac.uk

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