Hello, Anthony Segaert with you for the rest of the day.
In Sydney, popular TV and podcast host Hamish Blake has apologised to GPs after he said he thought he’d be able to be a doctor in a general practice – at least for a day.
On the Hamish & Andy podcast last week, Blake said being a GP was the highest-paying job that he would feel competent doing for 24 hours.
“I do a lot of Googling [of] medical issues and I have got now 20 years’ experience of going to the GP,” he said on the podcast. With the “greatest respect” for the profession, Blake said he would refer any serious issues to an emergency department.
But the comments drew the ire of GP-turned-MP Amanda Cohn, from the NSW Greens, and other doctors.
“The perception that GPs are somehow lesser doctors is widespread,” she said in state parliament yesterday.
But in a new episode of the podcast, Blake has said sorry.
“It seems that last episode’s hypothetical game of ‘What job could you fake your way through for a day?’ has upset some people... some GPs, some doctors,” he said.
“Yes, we have a laugh but more than that we don’t want to upset people.
“Here’s how I look at it: they took an oath to do no harm. I broke their oath on them. And for those doctors who heard that and were hurt, I’m very sorry.”
With AAP