The nature of general practice

BMJ 1996;312:1421-1422 (1 June)

Letters

The nature of general practice

General practitioners are best placed to decide priorities

EDITOR,--It is hard to accept the arguments set out in Per Fugelliand Iona Heath's editorial on the nature of general practice.¹Comforting though it is to hang on to the accepted wisdoms ofthe past, nothing stands still. A general practitioner can nolonger be seen as the lone friend and confidant of the patient,fighting his or her corner regardless of responsibilities tosociety. It is unreasonable to view the patient in isolation,with expense being regarded as of no importance and the needsof others irrelevant. We do not need to see ourselves in a mystical,priestly role, interceding on behalf of the patient from thesurgery confessional. Rather, we should work with our primaryhealth care teams, hospital colleagues, and health authorities.Together we can mould a service for patients that is both affordableand equitable.