No place for Tea and Sympathy?

Psychiatrist Dr Geoffrey Lloyd, speaking at a conference of the Royal Society of Medicine in London, claimed doctors were too empathetic and understanding when treating their patients.

Doctor Lloyd believes that, by sympathising with their patients doctors may not be able to offer rational, practical help. Too many doctors believe it is "normal and understandable" for patients to become depressed, and they may not receive the treatment they need.

Alternative practitioners generally believe emotional well-being is fundamentally linked to physical health. Bach Flower Remedies for example are used to treat not only physical symptoms, but the patient's emotional states which underlie them.

Sunday, 3 December 2000