Translate a GP Referral Letter Into What the Doctor Is Actually Saying

The letter arrived and it is dense with medical shorthand. You can see your name and a date and a string of clinical terms that may or may not be alarming. This unpacks it into plain language: what each section means, what the doctor has told the specialist, and what questions to bring to the appointment.

You have received a referral letter from your GP and the medical language has made it harder to understand, not easier. Translate the letter below into plain English. For each section, explain what it means, why it is included, and what, if anything, it requires you to do before your appointment. If any term suggests something serious, say so plainly rather than softening it. End with a list of questions worth asking the specialist.

[paste the referral letter here]