Manufacturing doctors is one thing; sustaining working communities is quite another

It was a lovely experience to read David Zigmond's article and revisit the land of fulfilling general practice, which I inhabited too in the 1980s. The continuing relationship with patients and colleagues provided psychological and emotional sustenance, which was crucial in my work, and really made it meaningful.

Sadly, the industrialisation and fragmentation of general practice brought about especially by the QOF led me to seek 'refugee status' in hospice work and care instead.

David Zigmond, in his second footnote pays respect to Michael Balint. He was a psychoanalyst, and son of a GP, who worked with interested GPs providing case-based discussion groups, in which they could speak in total confidence about the feelings engendered by their patients and come to better understand their and perhaps their patients' response. He also wrote some seminal works, including 'Six Minutes for the Patient' and 'The Doctor, The Patient and the Illness' amongst others.
Although I loved my work as a GP, patients could provoke quite intense feelings in me, and no doubt I in them! I was so fortunate to be introduced to Balint group work when a GP trainee in 1982, which has been an illuminating, engaging, and stimulating help to understanding my human reactions throughout my professional life since.

Current GPs in practice, must also be confounded by their feelings and reactions to their patients sometimes.

I am pleased to say that the Balint Society which was founded in 1969, to formally promote Michael Balint's ideas, currently provides over 30 groups to GPs across the UK who are interested in developing their understanding of the doctor/patient relationship. The Society also organises weekends, study days, and other events online. Further information can be found at balint.co.uk.