Setting: General Practice Surgery

Doctor

Your patient is a 45-year-old who lives on their own. They have been your patient
for 5 years and you have repeatedly asked them to consider changing their
dietary habits as they rely heavily on take away foods with a high fat content and
now weight over 90 kilos. Your patient works full time as a factory hand and says
they are too tired to bother cooking at night. You have asked them to come to
your surgery to discuss the result of a recent colonoscopy examination. There is
no evidence of bowel cancer, which they were concerned about as their father
was diagnosed with bowel cancer two years ago. However there is evidence of
diverticular disease.

Task

 Reassure them that there was no evidence of bowel cancer.

 Explain what diverticular disease is
 Discuss complications that can occur and the treatment plan
 Try to convince her of the importance of a low residue diet and regular
exercise
 Point out the consequences of taking no action

Setting: General Practice Surgery

You are a single 45-year-old. You have been a patient at this surgery for five years.
You rarely visit the doctor because he is always telling you that you need to lose
weight. He does not seem to understand that after working hard in a factory 8
hours a day all you want is an easy take away meal and to relax by watching TV.
Recently you have had abdominal cramps and are very concerned that it may be
bowel cancer as your father was diagnosed with this disease 2 years ago. You are
at the surgery to hear the result of a recent colonoscopy examination.
Task

 Express relief that it is not bowel cancer

 Ask if you can have an operation to cure diverticular disease
 Ask what will happen if you do nothing
 Continue to express your reluctance to change your diet.