Consultation length

Tim D Caroe

doi:10.3399/bjgp19X705665

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I have read the flurry of letters concerning consultation length with dismay.¹ The call to move to a 15-minute appointment system seems to be gaining ground without any clear argument other than that it is the ‘right thing to do’. May I offer a dissenting voice? The right thing to do is to give people the care they need, and the time needed to provide that care. With effective pre-consultation triage, we can customise our appointment offer to the need. At our surgery, we run 5-minute appointments through the day highly successfully. Patients can also have up to 30 minutes if needed. Having fixed 15-minute appointments is a reflection of a doctor-centred ‘we know best’ approach. Let’s be flexible, and provide what people need, not what we think is best for them.