John Launer: Twilight and sunrise in primary care

One evening this summer I found myself at a traditional wooden inn in the Japanese town of Mori-machi, an hour’s drive from the medical university at Hamamatsu. There was a table spread with trays of sushi and tempura, along with bottles of wine and sake. We’d all just come from the local primary care clinic, an immaculate modern building three times the size of most British health centres and splendidly equipped.There were seven of us around the table, including the professor and assistant professor of general practice, who lead the family medicine training programme for the regional prefecture of Shizuoka. I’d spent the afternoon running a workshop for its faculty and trainees. The director of the clinic was there, as well as a jovial surgeon who is director of the town’s hospital. A resident on the programme also joined us, as did my son. He’d come to support me on…
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