Talking about death: the consultant geriatrician

Lucy Pollock teaches her trainees to accept uncertainty and use all their senses. “Read the signals and watch what’s going on; don’t just listen with your ears, listen with your whole body. Then try and focus on what matters most,” she says.“Algorithmic medicine does not work in people with complex medical problems, so listen to your patient.”Pollock also tells her trainees not to avoid difficult conversations. “Don’t be afraid of talking about death and dying—to lots of people that’s a great relief. Make sure you know what your patient wants.”Pollock, a consultant geriatrician at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, was born into a medical family—her father was a geriatrician and her mother an ophthalmologist—so she knew early on that a career in medicine would be hard work but rewarding.“My father really liked people and found great joy and humour in the dealings he had with his patients,” she recalls.Graduating from St…
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