There is a mythical ideal patient who is superbly organised, endlessly grateful and so well resourced that they can have any investigation required.
In addition, they tell everybody else that their doctor is wonderful and send him nice Xmas gifts. Now this might sound like a broad hint but what I am getting at, is that the doctor-patient relationship is a two-way one, and both sides contribute to making it work.
We GPs are acutely aware of our responsibilities in this area. We run, in effect, a consumer service with the very strong possibility that our patients will vote with their feet if they are not happy. So, from front desk to prescription, our customers should expect (and are expecting) efficiency, accuracy, compassion and thoroughness.
And when new people come into the sector, say from a business or retail background, they are struck by the complexity of what we do. Not only do we have thousands of customers but we provide dozens of different services, liaise with multiple providers, cover a vast range of personal and family scenarios, meet the requirements of a long list of different funders – and then remember which pharmacy each patient prefers.
How can the patient help in the process and, by doing so, help themselves? Here are a few suggestions:
• Don’t run out of pills. This perennial problem puts a lot of stress on general practice. The last-minute request for an urgent script (“can I pick it up in 15 minutes?”) is not only organisationally challenging but also hazardous. Frequently it will have to be done on the fly, between appointments, by somebody who doesn’t know the patient and without the usual checks and safeguards. The error rate and the chance that patients are not getting adequate monitoring are higher than usual. We understand life is messy so will always try to accommodate these requests of course, but a few days’ notice is best.
• Don’t mess about with your pills. Stopping and starting, reducing doses, borrowing your partner’s – all these may sound like a good idea, but if your doctor doesn’t know what you are taking, medical management gets really messy. Everything is by negotiation in general practice so have a frank discussion with your doctor if you want to change but keep them in the loop.
• Consider time management. We good-naturedly manage the person who has been “saving up” their ailments for a while, but realistically most GPs will feel discouraged if the list includes half a dozen really challenging problems. Book extra time if you need it and let reception know if you are coming in for something more than a standard service –say your driving licence.
I hope I haven’t offended anybody. We love our patients and we really are all in this together!
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