The first collective record of the evolution of general medical practice as an academic discipline over half a century. This anthology captures the stories of the early struggles to set up university departments between visionary supporters and traditionalist blockers as well as the steadily increasing successes aided by a dedicated funding system. The accounts are written where possible by the people involved in the early developments of their subject. These tales are of vision, commitment and resilience and are interesting both in their own right and for the more general lessons they tell us about the processes of creating institutional change within a modern democracy.

This fascinating book presents 100 biographies of general practitioners, the majority of whom have made key contributions to the development of general practice and medicine, but also some who have influenced society through engineering, literature, music, politics, sport and other fields. Organised into four different time periods and with key themes in each, the reader will gain an insight into the background of these individuals and what led to their decision to enter the speciality, discover their successes and occasional failures, while also learning about significant events in the history of general practice, medical education, medical politics, medical research, the Royal College of General Practitioners and society as a whole. Key features: • Highly readable and visual introduction to the history of general practice • Includes 100 biographies of a variety of general practitioners from 1640 to the present day • Describes both successes and failures in the development of the specialty and how these have helped direct and shape current clinical practice • Key themes covered include academia and research, medical education, medical politics and society • Ideal for anyone wishing to gain a broader insight into the history of this important specialty, as well as those interested in medical biography Written in an accessible style, and illustrated throughout, the book is an invaluable guide for academics, doctors or students with a special interest in general practice, medical education, medical history or social history.

International Perspectives on Primary Care Research examines how the evidence base from primary care research can strengthen health care services and delivery, tackle the growing burden of disease, improve quality and safety, and increase a person-centred focus to health care. Demonstrating the inter-professional nature of the discipline, the book also features a section on cross-nation organisations and primary care networks supporting research. National perspectives are offered from researchers in 20 countries that form part of the World Organization of Family Doctors, providing case histories from research-rich to resource-poor nations that illustrate the range of research development and capacity building. This book argues the importance of primary care research, especially to policy makers, decision makers and funders in informing best practice, training primary health care providers and achieving equitable distribution of care.

This innovative and timely book draws on pioneering precedents, basic principles, current examples and international experience to capture the narratives, examples and ideas that underlie and demonstrate the exceptional potential of general practice: "If health care is not at is best where it is needed most, health inequalities will widen." "The unworried unwell are not hard to reach but they are easy to ignore and are often ignored." "With patient contact, population coverage, continuity, coordination, flexibility, long term relationships and trust, general practices are the natural hubs of local health systems." "... practitioners ... are not only scientists but also responsible citizens and if they did not raise their voice who else should?" Written for family doctors looking to strengthen local collaboration, it brings together the traditional strengths of consultations, caring, continuity, coordination and coverage with the current and future challenges of building capacity, community, creativity, consistency, collegiality and campaigning. It highlights the critical importance of working with patients, maximising the use of serial encounters, integrating care, joint working between practices, social prescribing, community development and advocacy based on patient and practitioner experience. Drawing on the highly-regarded work of Deep End GPs serving the poorest communities in Scotland ̶ www.gla.ac.uk/deepend ̶ the book is an invaluable handbook for all primary care doctors, irrespective of health care system or country, seeking to provide unconditional continuity of personalised care for all patients, whatever problem or combination of problems a patient may have.

This book is a well-referenced history of medicine and medical teaching in Bristol, with material on the development of individual hospitals and other providers of health care throughout the 18th to 21st centuries, and on teaching from the 16th century onwards. More material has been explored and included than previous histories on this topic, largely due to the accessibility of material on the internet, and the willingness of individuals to have their work digitised and made available. This book details the origins and development of the Bristol Medical School, from its beginnings to the present day. Of necessity, there is overlap and inclusion with the development of other educational institutions, some that succeeded (the University of the West of England) and some that did not (the Bristol College).

Dispensaries were created in cities to look after poor sick people from about 1770 until the beginning of the NHS in 1948. They were created by relatively wealthy citizens who became subscribers to these institutions. They saw this as an act of philanthropy, and each subscriber was given a book of tickets that could be given to sick people to enable them to access the dispensary. Many doctors gave their services to the dispensaries freely, but an apothecary or, later on, a medical officer was employed in addition to run the dispensary and to visit the sick in their homes if they were unable to visit the dispensary. This is the first book to have been written that gives an overview of the creation of dispensaries and the reason they totally disappeared in 1948, although there are several booklets describing individual dispensaries. The dispensary system was supported by the majority report of the Royal Commission on the Poor Law in 1909 but rejected on questionable grounds by the Minority Report upon which our welfare state has been based. Currently, the NHS is in crisis, and this book about a former health-care system suggests ways in which our health service could be remodelled for the better.

This is a history of general practice under the National Health Service, covering the whole of the first 50 years, from 1948 to the present.