Patient centred medicine--threat or opportunity?

One of the benefits of having medical patronage is that representatives from the Institute of Medical Illustrators get invited to occasions which might otherwise be denied us. One such occasion was the discussion day held in July at the Royal College of General Practitioners. The authors represented the Institute, and in some respects the profession, at this study day on: 'The role of the professions allied to medicine in the delivery of primary health care'. As the day unfolded it became obvious that the emerging structures and power base within the National Health Service would have a significant effect on the role of the Medical Illustrator in the future. This paper presents an overview of the development of the NHS with indications for changes required in our profession.