Doctor, the Patient and the Group

There is a possibility that general practitioners, having gathered knowledge piecemeal in the course of contacts over the years, may come to feel they know their patients better than they really do, and this could affect their medical judgement. But how can doctors recognize that they are being influenced by their own presuppositions? This book re-examines and re-expresses some Balint ideas and ways of thinking, and illustrates this with case studies and texts of GPs' group discussion. The group, led by Enid Balint, aimed to be free enough to make fresh observations, neither tied nor blinded by earlier formulations. In doing so they were suprised by what was observed, and how often changes ensued. The group consequently became increasingly interested in the ability to be suprised, and doctors were then able to tolerate changes in themselves. Careful scrutiny was given to the way in which a psychoanalyst, acting as the leader, can work with practitioners to their mutual benefit.