More funding, training, and recruitment? Or just more Verschlimmbesserung?

I agree with David Zigmond that government has been 'trying to fix things but making them worse.' From the 1990s government promoted a consumer model. However, when patients took on the role of consumers, their expectations and demands could be impossible to fulfil, because of GPs’ lack of time and funds. I found that the consequent anger of patients could be demoralising. Also, in those years, continuity of care became fragmented so that many patients did not know the GP and so had not formed a relationship of mutual understanding and trust. I felt that relationships with patients had changed from a solid growth in trust over time to something more fragile, ephemeral, and transactional, which was worse for both patients and GPs. If the government could stop making promises about what can never be, and educate and encourage patients to be realistic in their expectations, maybe GPs could lead happier lives and want to stay being GPs.