Two Houses: A new model for the GP consultation

Abstract

The seemingly freestyle nature of the GP consultation poses a unique challenge for trainees starting out on a career in general practice. Unlike its hospital counterpart, there is no set format for the questions asked when taking a history, and so the structure of consultations is more of a craft to master than a process to be learnt. Consultation models are an attempt to provide a scaffold on which to build communication skills, and this article presents a new model for the consultation based on the metaphor of two houses which the doctor and patient explore together.