A GP guide to saying 'no' to patients
Learning how and when to say no to inappropriate requests is vital for an effective doctor patient relationship
17th September 2019
Saying no is never easy.
I just have to reflect on everything that is on my to-do list to realise it is a skill that needs to be polished in both the consulting room and in life more generally.
The consultation where you say no to a patient often leaves you feeling downhearted and disappointed, especially if you rate highly on the ‘people-pleasing’ scale.
However, being a doctor means that there will be many times when you have to decline a request from a patient, whether that be for a prescription,