Australian GPs may want to take a leaf out of UK doctors’ books by turning the table on time-wasting and time-hogging patients.

A group of besieged British GPs, who have seen demand “practically double” thanks to the pandemic and the introduction of telehealth, have penned an open letter to their patients explaining why it’s their own fault they’re having to wait for an appointment.

After advising patients to “make yourself a drink and have a sit down”, the doctors from the Ivy Grove Surgery in Derbyshire explain across 16 pages where patients are going wrong.

A new telehealth system had been introduced during the pandemic, but many patients had either refused to use it as advised or used it for trivial health complaints. This led to the practice being overwhelmed with phone calls and appointments.