The TAR interview occurred within 1 week of the consultation, at the surgery, patient's home or university, according to patient preference. Patients were initially asked open-ended questions about their general impression of the consultation. The recorded consultation was played back and patients were asked to identify the most helpful and least helpful parts. These segments were played back once more and patients asked about their detailed reactions to them (Box 1). If the patient was unable to identify helpful or less helpful parts of the consultation, the interviewer located segments where psychological problems were being discussed and asked about the patient's reactions to several consecutive GP responses.
How this fits in
Most patients with psychological problems receive help just from their GPs, but little is known about how patients experience these consultations. The human qualities of the doctor–patient relationship were central to patients' experiences of the consultation; attitudes of genuine interest, understanding and acceptance were more important than specific communication skills. We may underestimate the power of routine GP consultations, which have the potential to facilitate the exploration and resolution of patients' psychological problems. The tape-assisted recall method can contribute to research and training in this area, for both GPs and other health professionals.
