SO FAR SO GOOD....

On Monday we introduced a new appointment system in my practice, which seems to be working very well. I designed the new scheme which involves a radical shift in the balance between appointments that can be booked in advance and those bookable on the day as emergencies. The latter has got to be one of the most overused words in the english language, at least where I practise. I've been here for nearly 22 years now, if you include my time as a registrar and the number of true emergencies I have seen even in all that time is pretty small. Other favourite local phrases include "he turned around and said" (often used repeatedly within a short time - must be getting dizzy by now I always think to myself) and "she was rushed to hospital" (no-one ever just goes to hospital do they, they're always rushed there?)

Anyway, I digress; as with any change, there were a lot of obstacles, or as us coaches like to call them - challenges! Many of these centred around communication and making sure that everyone understood what we were doing and what they should and shouldn't be saying. The reception team are doing really well, even though it's been made more complicated for them in that the new system currently only applies in the mornings and the afternoons run as before (another challenge!). I think this will change when we review it in a couple of weeks.

So so far so good but I'm not in the surgery to monitor it today as I'm off up to BMA House for a musculoskeletal masterclass. I'm looking forward to that and it'll be nice for once to be in the audience; last time I was up in London for a masterclass I was the one up on the stage, teaching NLP to 150 people. I reckon it will be a lot more relaxing today and looks like a good programme.

I always feel a bit guilty when I go to these sort of talks as when you get chatting to someone they are inevitably from the Outer Hebrides and have had a three day barefoot trek across the wilderness to reach the nearest ferry then had to take six trains, fourteen buses and a taxi. They are usually carrying an enormous rucksack as well as they've needed supplies and several changes of clothes. When they ask where am I from I guiltily mutter - "oh just outside Watford, 15 minutes away by train." You get that sort of pitying look of "aye yay don't know what suffering is lassie....." before you get the chance to follow up with a rather weak sounding - "so did you enjoy the morning session?" It's usually about then you realise they're the next speaker....

I'll stop there as I need to head for the station. My good intentions of walking there (20 minutes) have gone out of the window as it is chucking it down outside here - so much for the drought. Whatever you're up to - enjoy your day.