We medical staff are doing our best despite the waste | Letters

Letters from GP Dr Paul Rybinski and registered nurse Gay Lee

Your article headlined “How to save the NHS, according to those in the know” (6 January) is intended to be helpful but is hindered by seeking the views of those who, unfortunately, really do not seem to know what the NHS does on a daily basis. People by and large don’t get ill because of what they do or don’t do and they certainly won’t avoid illness by developing a coaching relationship with a GP. Your contributors have a palpable lack of understanding about what it is to be ill through no fault of your own. People will always get ill and every one of us will die. No one can prevent this and pretending that we can through genomics, big data or a Fitbit is idealistic nonsense.

All the policies that could lead to a healthier population would rely on big brave political decisions, which is why they will never happen. In the meantime, please spare us from another genius structural reorganisation and we will just keep going, seeing patients at 10-minute intervals and trying to help them as best we can with a bit of humanity.
Dr Paul Rybinski
General practitioner, London

Continue reading... January 09, 2018 at 12:38AM