Meet Dr Ayan
34 year old Dr Ayan works in a busy inner city North London practice with over 4000 patients. Here he talks about his work, his practice and the sorts of problems and issues he sees every day in his surgery.
Q1. Tell us a bit about yourself and how you came into medicine.
I'm a GP in Haringey and ended up in medicine because it was a childhood ambition. Both my parents were doctors and made hard work easy. I wanted to help people and meet people. I'd never do anything else now.
Q2. Tell us a bit about your practice.
My practice is based on north London's busiest thoroughfare. We
see a lot of chronic illness, mainly heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease
and tuberculosis (TB). High teenage pregnancy, cancer and strokes are further concerns.
Q3. In what ways are people better informed and more conscious of their health than they were in the past?
Public awareness of health has improved because of the internet.
People are better informed but sometimes also misinformed. Anti-smoking
messages are getting through.
Q4. In what ways does men's health differ from women's and do men lag behind women in their awareness and care for their health?
Men are four or five times less likely to see a GP than women.
Q5. I'm new to an area and reasonably fit and well. Why should I see a GP?
Most people will die of heart disease or stroke. The risk factors are family history and lifestyle. An annual check up with your GP with be able to flag up these things before they get serious. We are here to help.
Related Links
- BBC Health - Men's health
- Information and advice about men's health issues.
- Heart disease
- Guide explaining coronary heart disease, its causes, treatments, prevention and support organisations.
- Tuberculosis
- BBC Health article about the causes and symptoms of tuberculosis.
Health Tips
from Dr Ayan
- Eat five portions of fruit and veg a day.
- Drink plenty of water, eight glasses a day for an adult.
- Exercise is crucial. Twenty minutes minimum, three or four times a week.
- Avoid stress by managing your time better. If you leave everything to the last minute then it creates stressful situations.