Training Blog

Everyone unless you are really lucky has had the “pleasure” of an encounter with an arrogant doctor; the type that don’t listen to a word that comes out of your mouth. According to the General Medical Council doctors should face up to the fact that patients now “call the shots”.There are still some doctors who dislike what they perceive as their authority being questioned, they claim that they (the doctors) resent the assertive patients and goes on to say we have to end the state of affairs whereby a minority of patients have to put up with – or worse, be put at risk by – professional practices that are considered by any rational person to be dangerous, offensive or otherwise unacceptable. A classic example of an arrogant doctor is Harold Shipman who actually killed people as a result of his arrogance.

We frequently see articles in the media of “arrogant doctor” involved in some kind of scandal, such as the scandal where doctors in one hospital were removing the organs of children without their parents knowledge or consent; this is affecting people’s perspective of doctors in general; so much so that many people tend to suffer in silence rather than go to the doctors. If the majority of people have this view point then surely privatisation will make it worse as people will take the view that they don’t give a damn and are only there for the money. With negative views like this is it any wonder that the NHS is having problems.