Hugh Gibbons' references and extra information
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hunnybone for November 2012

for pharmaceutical physicians, colleagues and friends

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Just a Moment
 


 
   

PPhunnybone for PP November 2012

Let’s cherish our Moments of Joy.

One of mine occurs daily – with what you might call the Joy of Socks, as I manage to get them on.  Taking off my shoes provides another phew! for Hugh. 

Some are occasional: whenever a car park barrier lifts, or I have the chance to use that handy anti-witterer intervention my wife Anne taught me: “What’s that got to do with the price of tripe?” 

Most are unique.  Here’s one which my consultant cousin Barry enjoyed at a big company sales conference during bad business times.  The ebullient CEO aimed to restore morale.  We will be better, he said.  Woo woo, they responded enthusiastically.  Woo woo!  We will arise again.  Woo woo!  Like Spartacus from the ashes.  Woo woo woo! 

Not surprisingly, pharmaceutical physicians have also engraved memorable moments for me. 

Many years ago, one was assigned to my creative team.  He was, well, full of himself; and so was our cramped office. 

One Monday morning he put his feet up on the desk to browse the News of the World.  And went uncharacteristically quiet.  A double-page spread said that, innocently, he’d spoken about a pyramid-selling business, wanting to make a million, and moonlighting from the office job in his company.  Which, helpfully, he named.  

Oh dear, I said, as humanely as possible while hugging myself.  The phone rang.  Would he come up to the MD’s office?  Ten minutes later his desk was cleared and he was gone.  He made his millions (so Google tells me).  But I had something more precious: an office to myself, unexpectedly full of joy. 

In another company I was a sort of minor midwife for the UK introduction of a new delivery form of a world-established product.  The team this time included a medical advisor who always wore a bow-tie in case the rest of us doubted his qualifications (which, alas, we did most days).  Years of general practice had not taught him the concept of role-clarity.  We got this sort of thing: “We need to change the product name, and here are thirty suggestions I’ve spent the last fortnight creating.”   

The MD called a crunch meeting to review the slowness of clinical trials.  The medical advisor was elsewhere.  So I volunteered (a bit chirpily) that the day before I’d taken the initiative of ringing round all the investigators to check the status of things.  

And discovered that one had gone and died.  Six months previously. Without permission, or file note. 

We knew that Dr Bowtie was never going to be seen again when the MD had calmed down enough to give the meeting his management overview, in which he touched on timescales, professionalism, and the marital status of the parents of medical advisors.   

I really wish I’d seized the moment to say I could foresee eye-catching enthusiasm on the front of the Daily Express: “Miracle Drug: Saves Patients, Kills Doctors.” But it only occurred to me just now. 

Of course, every two months I have another happy moment – when I send PPhunnybone off to Madhu.  It’s called the Joy of Next.  Bliss.  Phew!

 

 

       
 
   

For more information at any time, contact
The Conductor of Just1, Hugh Gibbons

E-mail: hughgibbons@just1.org.uk
Tel: 01344 451847

Write: 75 Qualitas
Roman Hill
Bracknell
Berks RG12 7QG
United Kingdom