Selling patients short

HOW long ago it seems when the majority of family doctors were at their surgeries every day, routinely made house visits and were on call at evenings and weekends.

Most of today’s GPs, despite being handsomely remunerated by the taxpayer, have opted out of working unsocial hours. And now we discover they work an average of just three-and-a-half days a week. Little wonder waiting times for appointments are longer than ever.

Yes, being a GP can be stressful, difficult work. But it’s supposed to be a vocation – not a part-time job. UNTIL 20 years ago, type 2 diabetes was unheard of in children. Yet now even nine-year-olds are being treated for the condition, which can cause heart disease, blindness and damage to the liver and kidneys. Could there be any clearer alarm call to parents who let couch-potato children eat and drink what they like?