The doctor began his remarks at Manchester by saying, “Respect for doctors is at a low ebb at the moment, due to certain unfortunate events which happened not far from here”. And I thought, my God, he’s talking about Shipman. He was the chief medical officer of the Department of Work and Pensions, giving a presentation to welfare rights officers in the town hall.
Dr Shipman did his murders only a few miles from Manchester town hall, in Ashton under Lyne it was, actually. But calling a murder an “unfortunate event”, or thinking that it is appropriate to lament that this reduces respect for doctors, shows that this man does not think like most people do, and does not see the World in the same way. And, later, when he told a black lie, serving his interests and efficiently hurting my clients, my view was consolidated.
Clare Flourish 
“Unfortunate events” covers a multitude of sins, doesn’t it? In any case, respect for doctors may have been on the decline for some time: it is lazy and convenient to blame the devil for all our problems. Ann xx
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Euphemism is such a cowardly way to go, especially for an audience of reasonably well-educated and presumably well-read people. And believe me, Shipman’s crimes are not the only reason doctors in this country get little respect. I’ve lived here for nine years now and have yet to find a GP whose skills I trust, much less respect. They (GPs) seem to be nothing but gatekeepers whose sole purpose is to keep people from getting proper care by specialists.
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