Hard to avoid a comment

Hard to avoid a comment on today's medical news feed.

A new poll, commissioned by the Royal College of Physicians, finds that yet again doctors are the most trusted professionals in the public eyes.

A doctor rates as trustworthy to 90 per cent of people, a professor to 78 per cent and a government minister to 20 per cent.

Then up pops Ara Darzi, who is a lord, a professor and a government minister. He is also a pioneer in surgical robotics and yesterday was opening a new robotics centre at Imperial College.

So what would be his personal rating? Or does it depend whether you are his patient, his student or a member of the public. I suspect so.