Personal Care and Teamwork in Primary Care: The Patient's Perspective

Abstract

Government policy emphasises teamworking in primary care, but this development has prompted professional anxiety that continuing personal care may suffer. There is evidence that patients themselves, particularly older ones, do value a continuing personal relationship with their GP, but also that attitudes are changing as people become better informed about health matters and more self-confident in seeking advice. Partnership is more appropriate today than paternalism and potentially lends itself to teamworking. Much remains to be done however, to ensure that teamworking operates effectively and that a sense of personal worth remains at the heart of patient/professional relationships in the interests of both parties.

Key Words:

• Continuity of care
• general practice
• patients
• personal care
• primary care
• teamworking