BMJ  2004;328:1319 (29 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7451.1319

Letter

Doctors' communication of trust, care, and respect

Authors' reply

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

EDITOR—Qualitative research is important because it allows patients to express views that may not fit the investigators' or others' preconceptions. We, like some correspondents, were surprised by our findings, so we had to question what we previously thought. Although extensive research and training by some correspondents has greatly improved clinical communication, to imply that we have no more to learn is disturbing. In their different ways, correspondents indicate the need for yet more research to pursue the challenge that these and previous findings present to existing ideas and established interests.1

Jones and Willis, Carter, and Bundy all point out the limitations of a "one size fits all" model of communication. Disabled and marginalised people have different needs, while the emphasis on discrete tasks, such as "breaking bad news," misses important functions of communication. Jones and Willis identify patients' role in good communication, and the perils of being too . . . [Full text of this article]

Emma Burkitt Wright, senior house officer in medicine

Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool L7 8XP

Christopher Holcombe, consultant surgeon

Linda McCartney Centre, Royal Liverpool University Hospital

Peter Salmon, professor of clinical psychology

Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GB psalmon@liverpool.ac.uk


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