While there have been umpteen reasons given for health services in the UK being stretched to their limits, few people have thought to blame Peppa Pig.
However, in a light-hearted letter to a leading medial journal, a general practitioner has suggested the beloved animated show’s GP, Dr Brown Bear, could be contributing to “unrealistic expectations of primary care”, including taking phone calls out of working hours and making inappropriate home visits.
Writing for the British Medical Journal (BMJ), Dr Catherine Bell, a GP who regularly watches the cuddly character's TV exploits with her toddler, believes the Pig family's inappropriate use of the doctor are copied by their fans, and begins by questioning why patients consult their GP for minor ailments. She then presents three cases that show Dr Brown Bear providing the Pig family with care above-and-beyond what should be realistically expected.
The first case sees Dr Brown Bear visiting a piglet at home over a rash, offering the patient medicine despite admitting the rash will clear naturally. Bell says the scene shows an unnecessary prescription that encourages people to “access their GP inappropriately”.
Also, by issuing prescription medication, Dr Brown Bear has either prescribed “antibiotics in an era of rising antibiotic resistance” or paracetamol which is available over the counter, rendering the Doctor’s visit pointless.
For the second case, Dr Brown Bear answers the phone for a minor illness, heading straight over to the afflicted pig’s home. “Dr Brown Bear conducts a telephone triage outside normal working hours and again opts to make a clinically inappropriate urgent home visit,” writes Bell, who also concedes that, on this occasion, the doctor actually gives a clinically appropriate reaction.
Finally, the third case sees Dr Brown Bear make an emergency visit to a pony with a cough, himself catching the cough. Eventually, the townsfolk all go to the surgery to administer him with a some medicine and sing a song.
“His disregard for confidentiality, parental consent, record keeping, and his self-prescribing indicate that the burden of demand from his patient population is affecting his health,” writes Bell.
In conclusion, then, Bell hypothesises that “exposure to Peppa Pig and its portrayal of general practice raises patient expectation and encourages inappropriate use of primary care services.”
Despite being a tongue-in-cheek article about the cartoon, Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, told The Telegraph there was a “serious message” behind the article.
“Whilst GPs cherish the unique relationships we have with our patients – and the trust our patients have in us - we are not always the most appropriate healthcare professional to seek medical advice from, if indeed it is necessary at all,” she said.
“At this incredibly tough time for the health service, we would encourage patients to think hard as to whether they need the services of a GP when they or their children are ill, or whether they can self-care or seek help from pharmacists, who are highly-trained to offer advice to patients with minor ailments."
The usual advice for uncomplicated self-limiting illnesses such as coughs and colds is to stay at home and not see a doctor, while drinking plenty of fluids.
But Peppa and family receive home visits from Dr Bear for the slightest of conditions.
And if Dr Bell was given the chance to write the script for one episode, contact with Dr Bear would be unlikely to occur.
"If the topic was health-related, I would be encouraging self-care for minor illnesses rather than another visit to Dr Bear," said the Sheffield GP.
Dr Bell is not the only person to think Peppa's constant trips to the surgery have an impact in real life.
She posted the idea on a Facebook group for doctors who are also mothers and lots of people said they could identify with her views.
The big question, however, is does Dr Bell think Peppa should be banned from our TV screens?
"No, because then I would be in real trouble with my two-year-old," she says. "Peppa does provide a welcome distraction."
Entertainment One, the media group that owns Peppa Pig, was contacted by BBC News for comment but did not want to respond.
Fans can watch Peppa Pig everyday on Nick Jr. and Milkshake!
More Nick: Entertainment One Announces 117 Brand-New Episodes Of "Peppa Pig"!
Original source: The Independent; Additional source: Wikipedia; H/T: Licensing.biz.
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