Report on performance
Scenario 8
Male 77-year-old patient from Fiji.
Transcript of part of the discussion with the practitioner reads:
Practitioner Well, he has type 2 diabetes when I saw him. I think that has moved on now to type 1. He has hypertension and like most of the Tongans there is a lot of gout amongst the people.
Chair By type 1, my understanding of what you are saying here is your patient is now an insulin‑dependent type 2 diabetic; is that correct?
Practitioner I could be I don't actually recall that.
And later during the discussion on the same patient:
Chair Do you think it is important to do regular pathology on your type 2 diabetic patients?
Practitioner Yes, but I haven't seen him much really, I only saw him on three occasions in '04 and twice in '03.
Chair But Doctor, you are telling us you are his primary care giver?
Practitioner When he is in the area.
Chair But you told us at the beginning of this questioning that ---
Practitioner I know I said ---
Chair --- he doesn't have another GP to the best of your knowledge.
Practitioner I said that he has three or four daughters and he migrates from one daughter to another.
Chair That is not an answer to my question. What you told us is you consider yourself his general practitioner?
Practitioner Well, I have been looking after that family for many years.
Chair That is not an answer.
Practitioner When he is in the area.
Chair I am talking about this particular patient.
Practitioner Well, I really can't answer that.
Chair Why can't you answer that?
Practitioner Because I only judge it on the basis of what his daughter says, if he's in the area she'll bring him to see me.