The role of the specialist in healthcare has never been in doubt and its prominence is increasing. In this article, I'm going to argue that specialisation is needed to improve our national competitiveness, ability to innovate, extend life and explore the frontier of science and knowledge. I'm also going to argue that, if left unfettered and not harnessed to the role of the generalist in healthcare, we can look forward to painful debates about rationing, professional 'turf-war' and suboptimal patient care. I conclude that better teamwork between the generalist and specialist has never been more important for the NHS and doctors should get together to form 'integrated care chambers' to better serve their patients and the population at large, thus changing the pattern of healthcare that has built up over centuries.
展开▼
