The possibility of discussing intimate or embarrassing problems with your GP means it’s easier for many people not to think of doctors as human.

They are, of course, very human and, although they’ve probably seen whatever your medical problem is many times before, they’re not immune to normal human reactions.

Such reactions are on show in a new book by Dr Benjamin Daniels, Further Confessions Of A GP, the follow-up to his first book, Confessions Of A GP.

This new insight into life in general practice includes a wealth of patient stories, such as the teenager convinced he lost his virginity and caught HIV some time between leaving a bar and waking up in a kebab shop.

Dr Daniels, who uses a pseudonym so both his identity and that of his patients is protected, points out that most doctors have “seen everything” relating to the body, and reassures people that while they might feel embarrassed about going to see a GP about an intimate matter, it’s water off a duck’s back for the doctor.

“As a doctor, you lose that sense of embarrassment quite early on in your career because you’re exposed to these things over and over again,” he explains.

While there’s no particular type of complaint or patient that he dreads, he confesses it can be difficult to help patients that heap all their problems on him.

“People have very high expectations of their doctor, but the reality is that most aches and pains are going to get better no matter what the doctor does,” says Dr Daniels.

“We’re good at diagnosing things, and giving people advice and reassurance, and telling them things aren’t life-threatening – which is an important job – but people have overly-high expectations of what we can achieve.”

Further Confessions Of A GP is published by The Friday Project, priced £7.99.