I often moan* about GPs mostly it's when I go to a really sick patient who is sitting out in the waiting room. On more occasions than I can count I've been called to someone who looks like they are having a heart attack and the GP is nowhere to be seen - instead they are dealing with a nasty case of nappy rash.

I understand that GPs are under time pressures, but sometimes the care that people who are actually sick receive makes me spit feathers.

So when I meet a GP who knows what they are doing I feel like shouting it from the rooftops.

I was sent (miles out of my area, but that is nothing unusual) to a person having an allergic reaction in a GP surgery. I've got to admit that I fully expected to walk in and see the patient sitting in the waiting room clutching a letter from the GP, a GP that is hiding somewhere.

But no.

Instead the GP had recognised a fairly severe systemic allergic reaction. He'd laid the patient down, was giving oxygen and, by the time we had arrived, had given two drugs via injection and put an intravenous line in. Because of the GP's actions the patient's allergy was resolving nicely.

And the GP was incredibly polite to my crewmate, the first responder and myself. I've got to say that I was mightily impressed with the actions and attitude of this GP. The GP had also made some suggestions as to what had caused this new allergic reaction and had all the patient's notes printed out for us.

The only thing about this that is a shame is that I find it so surprising and unusual to come across such a good GP. I'm always aware that I only tend to go to the bad GPs and that the area in which I work probably isn't high on the wish-list of jobs for GPs who can interview well elsewhere.

Still - it is nice to see someone else out there doing a decent job in a crappy system.
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*And the first person to go 'oh really...' in a sarcastic manner gets a damn good thumping.