NO MATTER what you may have heard, Dr Phil Hammond is not the patron saint of herpes, although this is exactly how he was introduced at a conference.

Let’s set the record straight: he is in fact the patron of the Herpes Viruses Association – something he is very proud about and incidentally feeds pretty well into his stand-up career.

There is nothing like a few giggles to make the medicine – or message as the case may be - go down.

“We all have herpes, but only a few of us get the sores,” he enlightens me. “It's no picnic, but the fear of herpes can be worse than the reality. It's just chicken pox on your privates, or a cold sore gone south.

“Sex, death and mental health are the three things Brits don’t talk about. I’m a firm believer in demystifying medicine and destigmatising illness. It’s comedy with a message. Medical politics is very dull and conformist; I love the freedom of stand-up comedy.”

Dr Phil – not to be confused with his American namesake, whom, the comedian points out is not actually a medical doctor – entered the comedy scene in 1990 with fellow doctor turned actor Tony Gardner.

Together they formed comedy double-act Struck Off and Die, in part to raise awareness of junior doctors’ dangerous working conditions.

But venturing out of the consultation room and into the country’s theatres, away from moderately captive patients, certainly raised the competency stakes.

“As a comedian you are more accountable. If you are bad or you don’t make them laugh, people won’t come to see. But you can be a bad doctor and still have a waiting room full of people.

Both comedy and medicine are about communication. It’s just different timing.”

Famously outspoken, the journalist and occasional whistleblower will not allow misguided politicians to get away with murder in his show, Dr Phil, at the Wyvern Theatre on March 31.

As always the stage will also be his platform for a fierce defence of his precious NHS.

“When the NHS was founded in 1948, half of us died before the age of 65. Now one in three of us live until 100. It’s still one of the best, fairest and safest health systems in the world. 90 per cent of it is OK, good or exceptional. 10 per cent of it could do with improving and you can’t ignore the bad stuff.

“It’s politicians fighting over it that threatens it’s very existence.”

Along with his political views, he plans to share his thoughts on pleasure quite liberally.

“As well as five portions of fruit and veg a day, you need five portions of fun. We’re talking about pleasuring, in all its forms.

“If you live in a country that disposes of it sewage properly, and pleasure yourself sensibly, you can easily make it to 80 without coming anywhere near the NHS.”

Being the ‘only GP available on a Saturday’ has certainly drawn a few characters to his shows in the past –most of them hoping to sneak in a free consultation.

Between people dropping their pants or bringing samples, he has had his hands full.

“A woman in Canterbury brought a urine sample because she thought she had an infection. I dipped a stick in it and she did have a urine infection. There was a GP in the audience and he gave her a prescription. I’ve also had people try to show me their lumps down below.”

In case of emergencies, having a medical degree has proven handy. Over the years his audience has been incident prone.

“I’ve had a few people collapse in the audience. You might be in the middle of a gag and you’ve got to stop and help them.

“I was in Newcastle doing a show in a tent and I ordered a taxi. He came in too quickly and knocked someone in the audience. You tend to forget that although you’re a comedian and farting about legally you’re a doctor.”

Dr Phil Hammond will be at the Wyvern Theatre on Tuesday, March 31 at 8pm.

Tickets cost £17 (£2 off for NHS staff) and are available from swindontheatres.co.uk or on 01793 524481.