Covid-19 makes it harder for GPs to offer the quiet listening that made all the difference to me

Abstract

Covid-19 makes it harder for GPs to offer the quiet listening that made all the difference to me An anonymous patient explains how her GP used shared decision making to help her manage her distress. Quiet listening can empower patients to lead conversations about their own care, she says, but is threatened by the effects of covid-19, including more triage, remote care, and burnout among GPs

Tackling the crisis in primary care

“…Continuity of care for patients with complex ongoing problems is associated with better outcomes, greater patient satisfaction, and lower use of wider NHS services 45. Although patients, and many clinicians, recognise its benefits,6 continuity of care in England has declined over time,7 partly because policy makers have tended to undervalue these benefits in favour of rapid access.…”

Covid-19 and GPs: the unmeasured goes unnoticed

“…Thank you for publishing this important and heartfelt piece about how being listened to and supported by her GP helped one anonymous patient through a traumatic time 1. I’m so grateful she shared her experiences and raised important points about relationship based care and the art that is general practice.…”