ABSTRACT

Thinking about consultation models can be a useful way of putting a framework or structure on health professionals' own model of the consultation. Sometimes looking at a particular model and seeing how it is different from their own can prompt health professionals to adjust and modify their own consultation process. This chapter highlights that a model is just a way of describing any task that professionals do, or have done, more than once. There are numerous books describing different consultation models, suitable for nurses and other health professionals. Some models are more focused on what needs to be achieved during the consultation (the task) and others are more about how this happens (the process). All models are partial or incomplete – they cannot possibly describe every aspect of every consultation. The Pendleton model of the consultation, Helman folk model, Neighbour model, and New Doctor, Patient, Illness Model are some models discussed in the chapter.