Today’s speaker was a well-remembered and returning speaker, Carol Tetlow, who gave us talk entitled “Stethoscope Secrets”.
Being a retired GP who spent 30 years working in a major GP practice in Harrogate, she had many interesting and amusing anecdotes with which to amuse us.
Training for a GP involved 3 years or so within a hospital team, where decisions could be made collectively. When qualified as a GP however, decisions were hers alone, but aided by the senior group practitioner. She was fortunate with her senior colleague and got on well with him, but he did like to disappear, usually for a large G & T, and leave things very much up to her!
She discovered a liking for pets, including rabbits and peacocks, both of which had distinct drawbacks, but drew the line at looking after ferrets. Perhaps she should have taken lessons from Compo Simmonite!
She found the doctor/patient relationship very rewarding, but found that the confidentiality side of the arrangement could be somewhat misunderstood, for example when a patient confided that she had just, that afternoon, been adulterous with her boss; she felt very guilty but just had to tell someone!
Initially, 5 minutes were suggested for patient appointments, but new recommendations lengthened this to 10 minutes. When patients started to bring in lists of up to 13 conditions which they wanted to discuss, appointment times got unofficially longer.
House calls made her realise that an awful lot could be learned about patients in their own environment, but as a junior partner, on call on Good Friday, after a day with no food or drink, a late-night call at 23.00 was no picnic. The patient, however, was found to be suffering from myasthenia gravis, a very rare disease for a child of 12 years, but who, thanks to the doctor’s expertise, recovered sufficiently to live a reasonably normal life.
She became a police surgeon, and a GP trainer, and admits that whilst she has come across her fair share of naughty patients, doctors could also be quite vindictive too, especially when asked to undergo very boring training sessions themselves. Just ensure that the room clock is turned forward; it frightens presenters!
She is thankful that hers is one of the most trusted and respected professions, often rewarded by gifts from patients. One in particular use to bake her virtually inedible cakes, which were quickly disposed of. Having to call to see the patient at home, when a specimen was needed, she was surprised to be given the specimen in record time. It had been collected in the bowl used to make the cakes!!
Her memories, however, centre around the good patients, as, we are sure, do the patients for her.