John Launer

3 weeks ago | bmj.com | John Launer

John Launer, GP educator and writerLondonjohnlauner{at}aol.comFollow John on Bluesky @johnlauner.bsky.socialThese are grim times, when the global political landscape of our era is dissolving. Under Donald Trump’s second presidency, the United States is swinging rapidly towards isolationism and autocracy. Some accounts in the mainstream media still make current events seem like a variant of business as usual or a form of entertainment. They are not.

1 month ago | bmj.com | John Launer

John Launer, GP educator and writerLondonjohnlauner{at}aol.comFollow John on Bluesky @johnlauner.bsky.socialSome years ago I taught an exceptionally bright young GP on a course. She seemed to grasp the values of the specialty intuitively. I hadn’t heard news of her for a while, but I discovered recently that she runs a private aesthetics clinic, offering botox, fillers, and so forth to people who want to look younger and are happy to pay for this. Forgive me, but my heart sank.

1 month ago | bmj.com | John Launer

John Launer, GP educator and writerLondonjohnlauner{at}aol.comFollow John on Bluesky @johnlauner.bsky.socialA few months ago I visited China for the first time. I was there to teach narrative medicine—what health professionals can learn through listening to people’s stories and how much difference this can make to medical care. The field of study originated in the west, but of course storytelling and the need for attentive listening are universal.

1 month ago | bmj.com | John Launer

John Launer, GP educator and writerLondonjohnlauner{at}aol.comFollow John on Bluesky @johnlauner.bsky.socialRacism in the NHS continues to be a problem, towards patients and also colleagues.1 Training courses in equality, diversity, and inclusion are mandatory everywhere, but the evidence that they make a difference is scant.2 They’re often carried out through online modules that are essentially tick box exercises.

2 months ago | bmj.com | John Launer

John Launer, GP educator and writerLondonjohnlauner{at}aol.comFollow John on Bluesky @johnlauner.bsky.socialI spend a lot of time teaching communication skills, although I prefer to call them interactional skills, which suggests more of a two way street. Much of what I cover relates to speaking and listening, although you can’t ignore body language too: eye contact, sitting position, and so on. One experience I mention quite often is seeing a video of my own consultations for the first time.