Health in the community

Press, 6 June 1981, Page 17

Health in the community

Primary Health Care and the Community. Edited by J. G. Richards. Longman Paul, 1981. 474 pp. $24.95.

(Reviewed by

Frank Jepson)

This book, edited by the Associate Professor of General Practice at the Auckland School of Medicine and dedicated to the general practitioners of New Zealand, is a welcome symposium of contributions from doctors and sociologists on some of the social aspects of medical care. The contributions come from some of those who are taking a leading part in widening the scope of care as practised at present in this country. It is not a manual of primary medical care. The book is organised into four sections: the tools of community care, human development and community care, sexuality and primary care, and social issues and primary health care. Several authors have contributed to each section. The editor notes at the outset that the views expressed are those of the contributors, and may not reflect the views of others or of the editor. The book starts with a short and succinct planning chapter contributed by Laurence Malcolm, of the Christchurch Health Planning and Research Unit, on the evolution of services within an area and the concept of team management. In the following chapters the authors discuss such topics as research, rehabilitation, screening, and money and medicine.

The section on human development is again selective, discussing abortion and child abuse, solo parenthood, childhood problems, and the care of the aged. The third selection takes a liberal view of sexuality and it is here that the authors express their own viewpoints most noticeably. Felix Donnelly epitomises this when he states: “I.have been fascinated over the past decade to watch the rise and fall of theories of counselling. According to one’s perception of the nature of man, so follows one’s approach to counselling.” The fourth section is a series of chapters on social issues: alcoholism, drug abuse, Maori attitudes to the medical profession, health and sickness. The book concludes with eight appendices on the organisation of statutory bodies, practice organisation, and medical ethics.

The book is a reminder of the humanitarian aspects of care, which can be overwhelmed by the scientific aspects. The present scries of Reith Lectures is dealing with the practice of medicine as a closed professional group: this book demonstrates the wider skills needed in community care.

The place of voluntary societies is not explained: neither is the question of chronic illness which places such a heavy deniand on existing services. Over-all. this is a valuable series of articles which makes no claims to be comprehensive or to provide blueprints for the future. It will interest all those involved with the caring professions — the health vocations.