‘Corporate outpatient management has said we must keep the patient’s names covered to preserve confidentiality,’ he said. ‘There’s some target for it. We’ve been told to do it.’ I called out the name of the first patient in a loud voice, looking round at the assembled patients waiting to see me. A young man and an elderly couple hurriedly got up from their chairs, anxious and deferential in the way we all are when we go to see doctors. ‘How’s that for confidentiality?’ I muttered to the hapless receptionist.
