As an SAPC neophyte I was struck by two things. Firstly by the immediate relevance of primary care research to everyday primary care. This is not always obvious to sceptical non-academe, and even Doctor columnists would have relished presentations like Chris Dowrick's, on medically unexplained symptoms, or Jacques Mizan, on the effects of the built environment on doctor–patient interaction (see October 2004 BJGP). There were many other excellent presentations during the parallel sessions where the chief challenge as always was to choose one presentation from such an extensive menu. Two excellent plenary speakers also spoke directly to every GP in the land — Martin Roland from Manchester on the research base for the quality component of the new GMS contract; and Glasgow's David Reilly, stimulating as always, on the power of placebo, prickly when defending RCTs in homoeopathy, and astonishing when soaring in new realms such as psychoneuroimmunology.
And the second thing? There is much at SAPC for the amateur independent researcher curious to learn more. But costs are prohibitive without subsidy from large academic departments. Any chance of a discount at Gateshead?
- © British Journal of General Practice, 2004.