Poser for BIB

[anonymous-user]

At about midnight a few nights ago my wife began to have terrible pains in her side and stomach, to the point where she became practically immobile and was physically crying with pain. I called the out of hours GP emergency number and was eventually put through to the on duty GP. After a brief explanation of symptoms etc.. he told me to bring her straight in to the hospital where he was, about 9 miles away. We then had the following conversation:

Me: One problem Doctor, I've had a drink this evening.

Doctor: How much have you had to drink?

Me: I'm fairly certain that I would be over the limit.

Doctor: Don't worry about it. If you get stopped by the Police tell them that I have told you you must get your wife here straight away and if they have any issues they should speak to Dr *********.

I have to admit that I was a bit stunned. I am personally paranoid about drinking and driving and will not even have one drink if I go out and know that I will have to drive home.

I am fairly sure that the defence of "the Doctor told me to do it" would not stand up in court. My question to the BIB is how would you react if you pulled someone over, suspected they may be over the limit and were told this tale?

[xxplod]

Urepentant - the short answer is any BiBs first priority is to protect life. If your wife was in serious pain, I'm sure he would either call an ambulance, or another Police unit who would transport her to hospital.
As for you, if you smelt of alcohol, you would be breathalysed, and if you failed the roadside B/T you would be arrested, taken to a Police Station and put through the intoximeter procedure.
As for your Doctor - I am speechless. Frankly I'd report him to the General Medical Council. How he can advise someone to drink and drive is totally beyond me. What if you crashed and killed someone? Or killed your wife? This is what the Ambulance Service is for.

[WildCat]

Report it to GMC! That is reprimandable misconduct on part of GP! Ambulance service is there for emergencies! Paramedics could have given interim treatment to your wife as well!

The significant other (doctor) has read this and is stunned by this GP's "advice" if you can call it that!

[silverback mike]

I find that amazing.
As if speaking to a doctor can sway a positive roadside breath test - It cannot in any way.
If that was the advice given then I would seriously think about addressing that, after all in a way the doctor was condoning driving with excess alcohol, and if stopped virtually saying "Its ok, I will pervert the course of justice to get you off"
Bad indeed.
Anyway, I hope your wife is ok.
Mike.
Mike.

[anonymous-user]

Thanks Mike.

The thing that really pissed me off, the next day when I had time to think about it, was that the Doctor had a driver and a car that was sitting outside with flashing lights etc.. that could have been at my place in 10 minutes. There were no other patients waiting when we got there, the place was as quiet as the grave. So the Doctor, because he couldn't be arsed to get up and go out, despite being provided with a car and driver for just that purpose, was prepared to see me risk my wife's health and my own livelihood.

I very nearly did it too. My wife was crying in agony and, given no choice, I would have done it because I couldn't see her suffer like that. Thank God for neighbours who don't mind being woken up at midnight!

I collected Mrs U from hospital on Saturday night and, having had me running around for a couple of days, she seems a lot better this morning, thanks.

Paul.