Your GP has seen it all before

I’VE recently been flooded with letters from readers desperate for help in persuading their partner to see their GP.

In almost all of these cases the problem is something the person deems embarrassing – like trouble going to the toilet.

I must tell you, patients who are too shy or ashamed to see a doctor for these types of issues are usually those who end up with the most miserable outcomes in the long run.

Doctors will have seen your problems hundreds of times before, no matter what it may be. And a few moments of feeling uncomfortable is a small price to pay for something that could save your life.

So persuade your partner to at least have a phone consultation first. Once they see how unfazed the GP is by their problem, they may feel better about a faceto-face appointment if needed.