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, some kind of certificate, or for a referral for an investigation or specialist consultation.