Good health is physical, psychological, and social — and it all matters.

A while ago, a GP referred a patient to me for my further opinion on a recent injury. The referral letter was one single line, asking that I arrange some more imaging. I’m not a psychiatrist, but even I could tell when the patient walked into that room that the most important part of our consultation that day was not going to be about the injury or xray – but the story of what happened. Otherwise healthy people don’t huddle into a chair, crying during routine visits.

What happened? How did a teenager get that injury? I think how busy and under-resourced that GP must have been – not able to have the time to get into that conversation.

So, the patient and I talked. We agreed on a plan for counseling. I helped her find some resources.

Even before the pandemic, the GP and consultant shortage has been responsible for the breakdown of the traditional doctor-patient relationship. This has had, for some patients, disastrous effects on healthcare and well-being. Health is NOT “the absence of disease”. It is biopsychosocial: a state of mental and physical well-being. You are not healthy if you don’t feel safe. You are not healthy if you are depressed or anxious.

That doctor-patient relationship is that whole discussion, including the lifestyle and preventative health. Good health is physical, psychological, and social — and it all matters. One thing does lead to another.