Mary Selby: Under starter's orders.(appointment timing management)

I was recently impressed by how excited a commentator became about four horses running round a racetrack. You couldn't really tell how fast by watching, but the pitch and speed of his voice gave the impression that they were working very hard. And it gave me an idea.

There's a sign in our waiting room that says: 'If you have been waiting more than 20 minutes, please tell the receptionist.' Unfortunately, some patients misread this as: 'If you have waited more than three minutes, please insult the receptionist, taking particular care to extend your comments to her husband and her children.'

Running late is in the nature of this job. We give people appointment …