The father of a friend was a pilot in the Second World War and flew delivery aircraft from Canada to England without GPS or radar and at a low level. Any wonder he smoked 50 tailor-mades per day and washed down his food with considerable amounts of gin. He was great with two gins but best avoided after that until fully sedated.

Some diseases cause death; others just alter quality of life. A disease that is currently curable and, if untreated, frequently leads to untimely death, often preceded by a protracted unwellness and sadly undiagnosed, is Hepatitis C.

At the very core of our existence is the ability to avoid danger and engage in pleasurable activity.

Conventional medical training most often divides diseases into organ-based domains. There are cardiovascular diseases, neurological diseases, bowel disorders, pancreatic disorders, etc., and we have doctors who specialise in those areas.

There is a commonly presenting problem in general practice that I have named Perfect Until Puberty, the acronym for which is PUP.

We all suffer a bit when we hold opinions. Many of us do not share our opinions for fear of being labelled.

Q. What separates the dodo from the GP? A. Best guess: around 350 years. We are about to witness the predictable crash of the general practitioner – someone who has been relevant for some 300 years.

The financial implications of the worldwide response to this existential threat will bring about worldwide collaboration and an understanding of the kind of management needed in the future of such events.