Terminating one's contract with the NHS

No need to check his blood pressure.

Dr Genesis has just certified someone. He still remembers his first time. It was three days into house jobs. Dr Genesis was pedantic: he checked the carotid pulse, listened for respiratory effort, gently rubbed the supraorbital nerve above the eyebrow and checked the pupillary response.

Nowdays, it is fairly obvious when someone has died. Dr Genesis has certified many patients. He usually mutters under his breath, "I'm fairly sure he's dead", while checking the pupils. It lightens the mood. Of course, he would not do this if the family were present.

In the elderly, or those with advanced dementia, why fight against death? It is surely a natural end to life. Better to let them go with as little suffering as possible. Of course, if the patient is young, or is not expected to die so suddenly, Dr Genesis would do everything he could.

Dr Genesis has a plan. Pay heavily to a hospice by the coast. Make regular, generous contributions throughout the years. Then, when the deadly diagnosis is made, be driven down there to pass away overlooking the sea. That would be nice.

But he wouldn't want blood tests, cannulas, scans and needless medicines. Only to be certified by someone he's never met, a junior doctor with an open-necked shirt just ticking him off the list of jobs to do before having a break.