ABSTRACT
Th ere is much to be considered from Voltaire’s humorous remark. Th e doctorpatient relationship is probably the most talked-about and explored relationship in both reality and fi ction. Th ere have possibly been more television programmes made about doctors, nurses, patients, surgeries and hospitals than any other subject. Th is is because the medical profession touches everyone. We begin our relationship with medicine before we leave the womb and we continue interacting with it until the day we die. How doctors and patients relate to each other will always be up for debate. To listen, think and respond sensitively and eff ectively are essential skills for anyone to have, whatever his or her business. In the medical profession, it is vital that these abilities are active at all times. To be attuned to the needs, desires and concerns of others plays a huge role in managing the well-being of patients, their relatives and their friends. It is crucial these skills are always at the forefront of the medic’s toolkit. It is all too easy to treat the physical ailments and ignore the psychological issues that may also be an integral part of the problems themselves.
