ABSTRACT
Family doctors are haunted by the spectre of time. The doctor's chief concern is that the patient he is with at the moment will take up more than his ration of time and the queue of other patients waiting will grow longer and more restless. General practice has gone through changes which tended to increase the number of patient attendances. Trainees were taught to make a diagnosis in three dimensions, physical, psychological and social. There are a number of options for managing time in ways which will satisfy the patients without damaging doctor's own health. It is important to let the patient have sufficient time in the immediate 'crisis' situation to feel that he has been heard and recognised. Then arrangements can be made for a follow-up consultation when it is relatively convenient. If there is a torrential outpouring of feelings, doctors must just take a deep breath, offer the tissues, sit back and let the day be ruined.
