Posted by: Tony Copperfield
27 January 2017I’ve always assumed that the most pointless consultation I’ll ever have would be this one: a young woman attends with what she thinks is a malignant melanoma on the sole of her foot. She’s right in that it’s on the sole of her foot, but wrong in that it isn’t a malignant melanoma. No. It’s dirt, which I scrape off with a fingernail.
But I realise, now, that this isn’t my most pointless consultation because a) She got something out of it (reassurance and a cleaner foot) and b) So did I (a minor op fee and a good laugh). Oh, and c) Because I’ve just had an even more pointless one.
This time, it’s a stroppy dad presenting his child with… well, with nothing. The child has been suffering a minor localised rash which dad and partner decided might be ringworm, so they applied an over-the-counter antifungal cream which cleared it up. ‘I’ve had to wait two weeks for this appointment,’ he says, ‘So there’s nothing to show you now.’
But if I think the one minute he takes to explain this might offer me some welcome surgery catch-up time, I’m wrong. Because he spends the remaining nine bemoaning the fact that the wait for a routine appointment is so long, suggesting that children in particular should always be seen urgently and pointing out that you could die in that time, Something Must Be Done etc etc. In short, he spends the entire appointment bitching about the lack of appointments.
I should, of course, tell him that this is actually an exemplar of self management of minor illness, and that, if only more patients did the same, minus the appointment booking bit, the world would be a better place. And that the lack of appointments is down to utterly pointless consultations like the one we were having. And that the long wait in reception, which he hasn’t complained about yet, but doubtless will, is not helped by me having to prolong consultations to point all this out. But I don’t, because something about his tattoos and lack of neck tells me that irony isn’t his thing.
He stomps off with his rash-free kid. ‘Other surgeries are available,’ I call after him. Even if appointments aren’t.
Dr Tony Copperfield is a GP in Essex. You can follow him on Twitter @DocCopperfield
Readers' comments (12)
National Hopeless Service | GP Partner/Principal27 Jan 2017 10:01am
History - Doctor I keep getting fluff in my belly button.
Examination - Fluff in umbilicus
Diagnosis- Fluff & stupidity
Management Plan - Tirade of abuse from GP.
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GP with no union | GP Partner/Principal28 Jan 2017 9:20am
I had an emergency apt in the middle of a fully booked surgery for a sudden blue foot, which I managed to cure with a wet cloth + cheap sock advice.Now I am cross that I forgot to claim the minor op fee.
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Christof Gallagher | GP Partner/Principal28 Jan 2017 10:56am
Something a little unethical about claiming a minor op fee for scraping a bit of dirt from a foot don't you think? Unless you're only telling an alternative fact and it was instead a large splinter buried deep in the sole which took skill and determination to get free. If so then what can we believe here?
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IAN BROOMAN | Locum GP28 Jan 2017 11:00am
Copperfield is a delight and welcome tonic to gladden the most jaded GP day!Well Done.
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Cavalierkitty | Salaried GP28 Jan 2017 12:32pm
Like common coughs and colds! Selah help.mall these time wasters will be gone once we can charge £5 a consultation- returnable if patient unwell, £10 for long term sicknote
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Cavalierkitty | Salaried GP28 Jan 2017 12:33pm
Self help.....all
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Ladyham | GP Partner/Principal28 Jan 2017 1:11pm
Christoph Gallagher......... This is meant to be a bit of fun..for entertainment purposes only....... Don't be such a stick in the mud 😉
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Christof Gallagher | GP Partner/Principal28 Jan 2017 1:55pm
Ladyham...much as I find this column entertaining too, as a public forum, be careful what you wish for!
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John Taylor | Locum GP30 Jan 2017 1:51pm
Brave man Copperfield using irony on the entitled thick who sadly are becoming more widespread.
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Dr Tea | GP Partner/Principal30 Jan 2017 3:18pm
A pearl from my morning surgery:" I am only 80, but I feel like a 90 year old woman" (and she was a woman, I think I need to add).
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