Prompt: Family Consultation Summary Letter

Family Consultation Summary Letter

Use this prompt to draft a written summary after a consultation that included family members. Families often leave difficult consultations having absorbed very little of what was said. A clear written summary helps.

Draft a letter summarising a family consultation in oncology.

Context:
- Patient: aged [[patient_age — e.g. "74"]], with 
  [[diagnosis — e.g. "advanced bowel cancer"]]
- Who attended: [[attendees — e.g. "the patient and his daughter"]]
- Key topics discussed: [[topics — e.g. 
  "current disease status, decision to move to palliative care approach, 
  what palliative care involves, the patient's wish to remain at home, 
  referral to specialist palliative care team, next steps"]]
- What was agreed: [[agreed_plan — e.g. 
  "referral to palliative care team sent; community nurse specialist to 
  make contact within the week; patient will call if symptoms change 
  before then"]]

The letter should:
- Summarise what was discussed in plain English
- State what was agreed and what happens next
- Acknowledge that this is a very difficult time
- Tell them who to contact with questions or concerns
- Not include any reference to prognosis, timelines, or expected outcomes

Address the letter to the patient. Tone: warm, clear, and gentle. 
Maximum 350 words.

Why this works

Family members leave difficult consultations remembering fragments. A written summary that reflects what was actually discussed — and confirms the agreed plan — reduces the anxiety that comes from uncertainty about what was decided. Writing to the patient while acknowledging the family reflects the appropriate clinical relationship.

How to tweak it

• If the patient is not the letter recipient (for example, if capacity is impaired and the family is the primary communication partner), adjust the address and tone accordingly.
• To add a note for a family member who was unable to attend, add: "Include a line acknowledging that [[relative — e.g. 'his son who lives abroad']] was not present, and that they are welcome to call the team with questions."

Remember: AI is a helpful assistant, not a clinician. You make the call.