I’M fed up with hearing GPs and hospital doctors constantly moaning about being overworked and underpaid.

My father was a GP in South East London until he retired in 1969 and his work load would put most of today’s medicos to shame.

His daily routine from Monday to Friday was –

  • 0600 Home visits
  • 0730 Breakfast
  • 0800 Home visits
  • 0930 Open morning surgery
  • 1230 Lunch
  • 1330 Home visits
  • 1600 Afternoon appointment surgery
  • 1730 Tea
  • 1800 Open evening surgery
  • 2000 More home visits until around
  • 2200 Saturday was much the same except there was no afternoon or evening surgery.
  • Sunday – no surgeries, but much of the day spent on home visits.

On top of this he would attend at least three or four emergency night call-outs each week – many at the weekend.

And many of the minor procedures for which GPs today refer us to hospitals would be carried out by him in his own ‘operating’ room – while my mother, who had no formal training, acted as receptionist and practice nurse – changing dressings, removing stitches and giving injections!

And all this for a salary that today’s doctors would regard as an insult.

But then my father didn’t become a doctor for the money – it was a calling and he was dedicated to his patients – often to the detriment of his own family.

And therein lies the problem with so many of today’s doctors – they are drawn to the profession for the money rather than by a wish to serve.

ROBERT READMAN

Norwich Avenue West, Bournemouth

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