Stop Press: doctor doesn't know own job

I was stunned this morning to hear an extraordinary story about medical treatment, or rather the complete lack of it, which happened outside a surgery somewhere in Britain last week. Apparently an 88 year old lady lost her footing just outside a GP's surgery and cut her head. A passer-by went in to the surgery to request assistance but the doctor on duty said he "wasn't a first-aider" and refused to go outside even to look at the lady. The surgery also refused to provide a blanket to cover her while she waited for an ambulance to arrive. The lady is still in hospital a week later.


Can you believe that? Now. I'm a doctor and I too am not a "first-aider". However this did not prevent me giving several courses in first aid to both the British Red Cross and the St John's ambulance organisation. I was deemed competent to do this because I am a doctor and therefore my knowledge and skills, even when newly qualified went well beyond what is required in even advanced first aid courses. Doctors aren't trained in first aid. They don't need to be. They are highly trained in the functioning of the human body in health and illness (as well as when it is traumatised) and are therefore highly skilled in assessing medical situations of all kinds, quickly and effectively. So why didn't this doctor simply do the job he was trained for? One answer could be where he qualified. His name implies he may not have qualified in this country, though that is no excuse. Doctors qualifying abroad have to show they can practice to the standard which is expected here. And here, unless I am seriously mistaken, when a doctor is asked to help a woman with traumatic injuries, they should do it immediately and without question. Probably all he needed to do was check she wasn't bleeding dangerously, that her airway was not compromised, that she wasn't going into shock and that there was someone there to provide comfort and support while waiting for an ambulance, which the doctor should have confirmed had been called. All this would have taken less than five minutes.


So why didn't he? Because he's a fucking twat, that's why. Doubtless he was too busy being all precious about himself and considering himself above the lowly peasants he has to work with to go outside and see if the patient was all right. The surgery involved has said it is "reviewing its procedures". Good for them. I hope that involves the senior partner taking the doctor concerned to one side and saying if he pulls another arrogant little stunt like that he'll have to find somewhere else to work. And he or she may have something to say about his staff refusing to provide such a simple thing as a blanket for the poor woman. As for the patient herself,  if what happened is true then the doctor was probably in breach of his contract with his local health authority and that patient would have legitimate grounds to make a complaint. I sincerely hope she does.