Social determinants of health, multi-morbidity, cradle to grave care, and Sylvia who is 90 years old and spent the last decade caring for her husband with dementia and now wants me to help her join him in heaven.
Child health, mental health, sexual health, trans health and Mehmet who is only 21 years old and will not use insulin for his type 1 diabetes and is blind and dying from renal failure.
Home care and advocacy for twins, Sam and Fred who have learning difficulties, are destitute and are trying to survive.
Ever-changing targets, financial pressures, press hostility and a wonderful team and the chance to innovate.
Knowing patients for years and growing to love and respect those with whom we’ve struggled most of all.
A deep well of local knowledge and a parsimonious custodian of healthcare resources.
A growing realisation that ‘doctor’ is an inadequate description of a GP.
150 words.
This is my contribution to #GP150w – a wonderful initiative by Dr Jamie Hynes
For longer descriptions, Iona Heath’s The Mystery of General Practice is still one of the most inspiring accounts I have read.
More recently, this 2016 lecture from Lucy O’Hagan, a New Zealand GP is an extraordinarily reflective piece about being a Rural GP and wounded healer.
The longer I am a GP, the more I realise ‘doctor’ is an inadequate term for what we are and what we do.
To contribute your own 150 words, click on this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q2J2XQ6
For a summary of the GP in a 150 words click here
A Better NHS 