A review of when letters about patient care are sent out could be held at Dorset County Hospital.

Some departments send letters direct to patients at the same time the information is given to their GP – while others only notify the GP.

Weymouth and Portland Governor Andy Hutchings called for consistency from the hospital at the Council of Governors meeting in Dorchester on Monday.

He said that there was also confusion over permissions about sharing medical information and whether consent forms known as ‘yellow slips’, had to be signed on each occasion, or for each department.

“Patients should be told they are entitled to receive a letter from a consultant. I have asked in the past, but don’t always get them. As far as I know there is only one consultant who sends out letters direct to patients, which I’m grateful for.”

Hospital chief executive Patricia Miller said she would also like to see letters going to patients after a consultation, if they wanted them. But she said the issue was complicated because some patients wanted certain information about their condition, but not necessarily all information. Some were happy for the information only to go to their GP.

“It is something we are still talking about at the moment,” she said.