Why surgeries seem so quiet

I’VE had a few letters from readers asking why their GP’s waiting room appears totally empty – despite their doctor claiming to be busier than ever.

I know it doesn’t seem to make much sense. But an empty waiting room doesn’t mean a quiet surgery, and it is true we are busier than ever. And in most practices I know, including mine, we are seeing most patients face to face.

But we operate differently now. Patients aren’t seen one after the other like before – face-to-face consultations are often interspersed with phone consultations, or tackling lots of online queries.

Many of our most vulnerable patients avoid the surgery and possible infections, especially at this time of year. All of this adds up to a seemingly vacant practice, but we are there and working very hard.