AMANDA PLATELL: A cynical mob are betraying the doctors who DO care for their patients

My beautician noticed a suspicious-looking mole in my thigh this week when I had my legs waxed.

She advised me to immediately see a doctor as I have a history skin cancer.

It took a while, but I finally got through to my GP’s surgery — to be told I could have a phone ‘appointment’ with him in four hours’ time.

Here we are, I thought. 

After all, I know from experience, it’s far easier for doctors to tell the difference between a benign and malignant mole if they look at it closely using specialist optical equipment. That means a face to face appointment.

But when the doctor called, he asked me if I could send him a picture of my mole using my mobile. 

I finally got through to my GP’s surgery – to be told I could have a phone ‘appointment’ with him in four hours’ time. I thought. [File picture]

He was very kind and encouraged me to go to the operation immediately after he had received it.

Yes, it was a fight. Despite the immense pressure on GPs from Covid and the backlog of untreated cases, I was able to get my face-toface appointment.

Like many others, my GP is working in difficult conditions. The incident restored my faith and belief in the NHS – which admittedly has been in the balance in recent months due to how difficult it is for me to get an appointment.

And this is what I find so bewildering about the GPs’ trade union, the Left-wing BMA, and its decision to threaten industrial action in the row over in-person appointments.

Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, has presented a package of help to patients following a campaign by Mail. Doctors can only deny patients face-to–face meetings if there are sound clinical reasons.

This grotesque, reckless threat is issued in the middle of a Covid surge. Numerous reports have shown that this has resulted in a drop in consultations and a loss in public goodwill.

Sajid Javid, Health Secretary, has proposed a package to help patients. It states that doctors can only refuse face-to-face meetings for sound medical reasons.

The Care Quality Commission also revealed this week that poor patient outcomes can be attributed to remote GP consultations.

I know that many GPs worked tirelessly during the pandemic. And I am extremely grateful to my doctor for acting so swiftly — given the circumstances.

It’s just I feel that, if the BMA has its way, I’ll never see my GP again. 

Mary Beard, TV historian, is passionate about toppling statues of men she deems offensive (e.g. Edward Colston), or not relevant anymore. 

I love Mary but I wonder if Mary should be encouraging people to let go of old relics, despite my admiration.

Angelina’s new dramatic band 

The eternally slim Angelina Jolie wore a ‘chin cuff’ — a gold contraption that hangs from her bottom lip and goes under her chin — to the premiere of her new movie.

The cuff’s designer says it made her look like a female superhero, others conclude it’s just a silly stunt to get attention for another dud movie. 

The eternally slim Angelina Jolie wore a ‘chin cuff’ (pictured) – a gold contraption that hangs from her bottom lip and goes under her chin – to the premiere of her new movie

My view is it’s a lip-version of a gastric band – with that contraption on you can’t drink or eat anything except thin gruel, through a straw.

Now our home-grown South London girl Emma Raducanu has become the new face of Dior, appearing in one of their evening gowns at the premiere of Bond, its chief designer (Maria Grazia Chiuri) says her frocks ‘empower women to feel confident’.

A dress worth thousands of dollars would not make a woman feel confident.

Opera: A wakeful fright 

In light of the BLM movement, the Royal Opera House is re-examining classic works so performances do not offend modern ‘cultural sensitivities’.

That’s my favourite opera Madame Butterfly for the chop then, with accusations of colonialism, American occupation of Japan and all. 

It’s about a Japanese girl Cio-Cio-San, or Butterfly, who is seduced and tricked into a sham marriage by American naval officer Pinkerton. 

She has a baby with him, and then she stabs herself to her death when she sees him married to an American woman.

Oh, yes, she’s only 15, so that’s child abuse we can add to Puccini’s disgrace.

London mayor Sadiq Khan sets up a £1 million fund for grants to help offended residents ‘decolonise’ and change their street names in the capital. 

So Rhodes Avenue in London’s Muswell Hill could become Mandela Drive. 

Surely the cash could instead have been spent tackling the stabbings of mostly young black men in London’s streets, up a quarter this year, the highest Record.

A former police chief claims Spain’s exiled and disgraced king, Juan Carlos, who is reported to have slept with more than 5,000 women, was injected with female hormones to curb his libido as his licentiousness was a danger to the state.

A tip for Mrs Carrie Johnson perhaps?

A bedtime story 

Mum-of-two Gwyneth Paltrow’s secret to a good night’s sleep is going to bed with your husband at 8.30 every night but not before meditating, body massaging and languishing in a bath filled with her £25 Martini bath soak – and then following up with an orgasm.

Mum-of-two Gwyneth Palrow’s secret to a good night’s sleep is going to bed with your husband at 8.30 every night but not before meditating, body massaging and languishing in a bath filled with her £25 Martini bath soak – and then following up with an orgasm

Most worn-out working mums I know would be grateful just to collapse into bed late at night after a stiff G&T and supper.

We’re all worried about our beloved Queen. 

Cop26 is now possible, despite the cancellation of a visit. 

Give Her Majesty a break. 

To paraphrase the Bible: ‘What does it profit a ma’am to gain the whole world and forfeit her health?’ 

JK is supported by the public 

It was back in June last year when J. K. Rowling responded to an article about ‘people who menstruate’ with the comment: ‘I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?’

A volley of abuse from the Woke Brigade followed, determined to ‘cancel’ her career. Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe were her Harry Potter heroes, and they denounced her.

Now, she is displaying what the public thinks about the whole thing by launching The Christmas Pig, her 16th No. 1 bestseller.

Bravo to J. K. for sticking with her guns. As her boy magician says: ‘I am what I am, an’ I’m not ashamed.’

Bill Turnbull, a former BBC Breakfast presenter, is taking a break from his Classic FM show in order to focus on his health. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017. 

Bill Turnbull, a former BBC Breakfast presenter, is taking a break from his Classic FM show in order to focus on his health. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017.

Let’s hope the love of millions of viewers and listeners, myself included, can help this wonderful man in the months ahead. 

Because, Bill, it’s there for you. 

British diplomats have left behind an Afghan interpreter. He said that after years of silence, they are now trying to contact the hundreds still living in Afghanistan in fear for their lives. 

They are advised to ‘remain patient’ and ‘stay safe’. 

Why is there such a long delay when the Americans have already put in flights to rescue their translators? Perhaps our officials work from home.

Westminster Wars 

• Parading his eco-agenda before an audience of billionaires, Boris said he was channelling the passion of Gordon Gekko declaring: ‘Green is good!’ He should have stuck to the original ‘greed’ is good given his plans to plunder our pockets with £1 trillion in spending. 
• Doomster Prof Neil Ferguson warns that unless we’ve all been booster jabbed, we are heading for Plan B-plus, code for another Christmas lockdown. I’m planning for Plan C — as in Carrie, who had her bestie Nimco Ali stay last year to help with childcare. I’ve invited a few mates to come and stay in my bubble over Christmas to help me with my cat, Ted.
• After asking 30 journalists, none of the Cabinet ministers said they have a heating pump. All their green promises are empty hoaxes.