Helen Salisbury: Resisting the temptation to offer advice

Abstract

When people consult their GP they often arrive with a clearly defined medical problem—a pain, a lump, breathlessness, a rash—and what they’re asking for is a diagnosis, treatment, and, if necessary, a referral. However, the solution to a problem isn’t always obvious or simple: a patient may present with back pain and insomnia, but further discussion may reveal relationship problems, stresses at work, or self-medication with alcohol in an attempt to deal with isolation and low mood. When patients come asking for help because they can no longer cope alone, it’s not easy to disentangle …