Does Peppa Pig encourage inappropriate use of primary care resources?
BMJ 2017; 359 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j5397 (Published 11 December 2017)
Cite this as: BMJ 2017;359:j5397
Catherine Bell, , general practitioner
Author affiliations
Correspondence to C Bell catherine.gray@doctors.org.uk
As a general practitioner, I have often wondered why some patients immediately attempt to consult their GP about minor ailments of short duration. As the mother of a toddler and frequent witness to the children’s television series Peppa Pig, I might have discovered the answer.
Peppa Pig centres around a young pig, Peppa, her family (brother George, Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig), and animal friends and members of the community.
Dr Brown Bear, a single handed GP with whom the Pig family is registered, appears to provide his patients with an excellent service—prompt and direct telephone access, continuity of care, extended hours, and a low threshold for home visits. But could this depiction of general practice be contributing to unrealistic expectations of primary care? In this article, I present three case studies and consider the potential impact Dr Brown Bear’s actions could have on patient behaviour.
Case study 1: Not very well
A 3 year old piglet develops an erythematous maculopapular facial rash. Her parents call Dr Brown Bear, who operates a “doctor first” telephone triage system. Dr Brown Bear advises putting the patient to bed and opts to make an urgent home visit.
He examines the patient’s tongue, diagnoses a “rash,” and reassures the parents it …
