DOCTORS Hamish McLaren and Philip Gaskell (Letters, October 31) both emphasise the value of direct communication with patients. Fortunately this is underlined in current medical education. I have long held the view that, after clinical competence, communication with patients rates highly.

A skilled practitioner will gain much information in a few seconds from the way in which a patient walks towards him or her. As Dr McLaren says, "look at the patient". In doing so this will show how well he or she holds themselves, how easily they move, and how they make direct eye contact with the practitioner. This can help to give an indication of the person's self-esteem, and taken with an overall impression of the person's appearance, can provide useful information before any consultation begins.

Communication can be more than verbal. A good listener is usually a good communicator. All patients need to leave feeling that they have been listened to.

Dr McLaren states that important information can be provided on a Medicalert band.

There may also be a case to be made for putting patients in control of their records which could be contained on a Smartcard. This would enable patients to make information available on a “need to know” basis to various health providers.

Our present love affair with computers and similar electronic toys needs to be tempered with good old-fashioned personal human contact.

Malcolm Allan,

2 Tofthill Gardens, Bishopbriggs.