Losing weight, regaining sight, and other stories…

The British Medical Association has just released a publication that many will find interesting, called Partners in Care: Stories about NHS patients and their doctors.

It includes more than a dozen stories of how doctors and their patients have worked together to overcome various health problems.

Stories include:

• A woman who was blind and in a wheelchair due to paralysis in her right leg, who was able to see and walk again after being helped to deal with a mental health problem that was manifesting as physical symptoms

• A woman who went from a size 26 to a size 12 within about a year, thanks to the help of a GP who set up a dedicated weight management unit

• A man who was successfully treated for heroin, crack and alcohol addiction and now helps people with alcohol-related problems

• A rheumatologist who has embraced the use of emails, texts and telephone counseling to improve the care of his patients.

Of course, it’s all a nice bit of PR for the NHS and the doctors involved. Still, the document makes an interesting read and it is refreshing to see a medical organisation promoting the notion of real partnerships between doctors and patients.

There’s a lot of talk about the importance of partnerships but we too often still hear organisations like the AMA saying they are talking for patients.