Professional Collab following a crisis: Mr Pillsworth and Dr Needles

It was a typical Tuesday in the quaint village of Pillbury, and Dr. Needles was ready for an afternoon of healing the sick and diagnosing the curious. But fate had other plans.

Just as he was about to see his first patient, the power in Dr. Needles’ practice went out with a dramatic zap. Lights flickered and died, and the whirring of the computers ceased. To make matters worse, his laptop had been whisked away for repairs by IT support only the previous day. As he stood in the darkened clinic, staring at the blank screens, he felt a mix of frustration and mild panic welling up.

Desperate times called for desperate measures. Dr. Needles grabbed his stethoscope and a penlight and marched down the cobbled street to “Pillsworth’s Perfectly Painless Pharmacy & Clinic.” The sign outside was simple and professional, reflecting the clinic’s reputation for excellent service.

Inside, Mr. Pillsworth was consulting with a patient about medication management. Spotting Dr. Needles, he finished his consultation quickly and approached his old friend with a concerned look.

“Dr. Needles! What brings you here in the middle of the day?”

As Dr. Needles explained his predicament, Mr. Pillsworth listened intently, then, with a reassuring nod, offered a solution.

“Why not use one of my rooms here? You can see your patients, and we can access the summary care records for their details. That’s how we do it here. We’ve got everything you need to keep things running smoothly.”

Dr. Needles hesitated for a moment.

“I won’t have write access to the records,” he thought to himself, “but I guess I could always make handwritten notes and upload the consultations on EMIS later.”

There was also the fact that the idea of working in a pharmacy, even one as well-equipped as Mr. Pillsworth’s, was foreign to him. But with a nod of resignation, he agreed.

Mr. Pillsworth led him to a neat and well-organised consultation room. You could understand why the GPhC had recently rated Mr Pillsworth’s pharmacy as “excellent”. Dr. Needles set up his temporary practice and, with Mr. Pillsworth’s help, set up to access summary care records on the consultation room computer.

One by one, his patients filed in, surprised but reassured by the familiar face. Mrs. Jenkins, notorious for her hypochondria, was the first.

“Doc, my elbow feels funny,” she began.

Dr. Needles examined her and, finding nothing wrong, prescribed some rest and a cup of chamomile tea. When asked by Mrs Jenkins afterwards, Mr. Pillsworth nodded approvingly and offered Mrs. Jenkins a box of his finest.

Throughout the afternoon, the two friends worked seamlessly together. Dr. Needles provided his medical expertise, while Mr. Pillsworth, a skilled clinician and independent prescriber in his own right, assisted with medication queries and patient management. Their collaboration was smooth, reflecting years of mutual respect and past complementary community projects.

By the end of the day, Dr. Needles had seen all his patients, and the power at his clinic was finally restored. He turned to Mr. Pillsworth, shaking his hand with genuine gratitude.

“Thank you, Mr. Pillsworth. You really saved the day.”

Mr. Pillsworth smiled. “Anytime, Dr. Needles. That’s what friends are for. And remember, whether it’s at your Practice or my pharmacy clinic, we’re here to provide the best care for our patients.”

As Dr. Needles walked back to his clinic, he couldn’t help but smile. Who would have thought that a power outage could lead to such a productive and collegial day? Pillbury was a village full of challenges, but with friends like Mr. Pillsworth, every challenge was just another opportunity to work together for the good of their patients.

Missed Episode One of the Drama of Mr Pillsworth and Dr Needles? Read it here.