ABSTRACT
' "Mental models" are deeply ingrained assumptions, generalisations, or even pictures or images that influence how we understand the world and how we take action'. It was emphasised earlier that advanced consulting is about the development of existing skills. There is no escaping the individual nature of family doctor consulting. A focus on the consultation should not preclude other learning opportunities such as courses, e-learning, training as a practitioner with a special interest (PwSI), part-time work in secondary care specialisms or community placements, all of which may have an expertise spin-off'. The Consultation Expertise Model provides the means to analyse existing consultations with a view to affirming that which is sound. Fingerprinting procedures then provide not only expertise concepts, but indicators – staging posts for improvement upon which it is possible to integrate the facility to 'start anywhere', to 'go there' and to achieve concordant outcomes.
