As I sit here as a GP locum in this new GP surgery on a sunny Monday morning, I find myself staring in bewilderment at my computer screen. It is around 8:50am and I am still reeling after the last patient, who has just stormed out of my room.
The patient was evidently not happy with the consultation today and did not hesitate in letting me know both through body language and words to the effect of: “This is nonsense, you do not care about me.” Despite being rare, these consultations can leave us as GP locums feeling disappointed, shocked and quite frankly contemplating why we chose this career path, even if this thought is only temporary.
Furthermore, it can make us feel guilty about how we came across: Did I provoke the patient? How could I have done things differently? Will this result in a complaint?