Medical letter templates that hold up
Five structural skeletons for the letters clinics send most. Copy one, replace the placeholders, check it and sign it.
Every clinical letter does the same job. It tells a named recipient who the patient is, what has happened and what is being asked of them next. The templates below are structural skeletons only. Every bracket is a placeholder for the clinician who completes, checks and signs the letter, and nothing on this page is clinical advice. wai drafts letters like these from the consultation itself, described in full on our clinical page.
GP referral letter
A referral must reach a named recipient with the patient identified and the ask stated in one plain sentence. It also records what the patient has been told to do if things change before they are seen.
[Clinic letterhead] [Date] Dr [recipient name] [Practice or department] [Recipient address] Dear Dr [recipient surname] Referral regarding [patient full name], date of birth [date of birth], [NHS or record number], of [patient address]. I would be grateful if you would see this patient for [the ask in one sentence]. [Relevant history and findings, one paragraph] [Current management, if any] [Anything that makes this urgent, and the timeframe you are asking for] The patient has been advised to [safety net advice given]. Yours sincerely [Clinician name] [Role and registration number] [Contact details]
Discharge or end of treatment summary
A discharge summary tells the next clinician what happened, what the outcome was and who now holds responsibility for follow up. The patient identifiers and the dates of care bound exactly what the letter covers.
[Clinic letterhead] [Date] [Recipient name and role] [Recipient address] Dear [recipient name] Discharge summary for [patient full name], date of birth [date of birth], [NHS or record number]. Seen from [first appointment date] to [final appointment date] for [presenting problem]. [Summary of assessment and findings] [Treatment provided] [Outcome at discharge] [Follow up arranged, or none, and who holds responsibility for it] The patient has been advised to [safety net advice given]. Yours sincerely [Clinician name] [Role and registration number] [Contact details]
Private insurance report cover letter
A cover letter to an insurer identifies the patient, the policy and the claim, then states what is enclosed and on whose consent. It also records any limits on the enclosed report, so the insurer cannot read more into it than was written.
[Clinic letterhead] [Date] [Named contact or claims team] [Insurer name] [Insurer address] Dear [named contact or claims team] Report concerning [patient full name], date of birth [date of birth], policy number [policy number], claim reference [claim reference]. I enclose my report dated [report date] concerning [the matter the report covers]. The report is provided with the patient's written consent dated [consent date]. [Limits on the report, for example the records reviewed or the date of examination] Please contact me at [contact details] if anything needs clarification. Yours sincerely [Clinician name] [Role and registration number]
Fit for work letter
A fitness for work letter states who was assessed, when, the opinion reached and the period it covers. Any adjustments and the review date belong in the letter itself, not in a follow up phone call.
[Clinic letterhead] [Date] To whom it may concern Fitness for work letter regarding [patient full name], date of birth [date of birth]. I assessed this patient on [assessment date]. In my opinion the patient is [fit, not fit, or fit with adjustments] for work from [start date] to [end or review date]. [Adjustments recommended, if any] This opinion will be reviewed on [review date]. Yours sincerely [Clinician name] [Role and registration number] [Contact details]
Results follow up letter
A results letter tells the patient what was tested, what the result means for them and what happens next. The safety net line states exactly when and how to get back in touch.
[Clinic letterhead] [Date] [Patient full name] [Patient address] Dear [patient name] I am writing about the [test or investigation name] taken on [sample or test date]. [What the result showed, in plain language] [What this means for you] [What happens next, and who will arrange it] If [circumstances that should prompt contact], please contact [who to contact and how]. Yours sincerely [Clinician name] [Role and registration number] [Contact details]
Questions about the templates
Can I send one of these as it is?
No. Each template is structure only. The clinician replaces every bracketed placeholder, checks the whole letter and signs it. Responsibility for the content sits with the signing clinician, exactly as it would for a letter written from scratch.
Why is there no clinical wording in the templates?
Because clinical wording belongs to the case, not the template. A skeleton that ships with example findings or medication names invites copy and paste errors into real records. The structure is reusable. The content never is.
What should I check before a letter goes out?
Four things. The recipient is named and correct, the patient identifiers match the record, the ask is stated plainly enough that the recipient knows what to do, and the safety net line tells the patient when to get back in touch. If any of the four is missing, the letter does not do its job.