ABSTRACT
Proust's novel ostensibly tells of the irrevocability of time lost, the forfeiture of innocence through experience, the reinstatement of extra-temporal values of time regained, ultimately the novel is both optimistic and set within the context of a humane religious experience, re-stating as it does the concept of intemporality. This chapter highlights that is easy to miss out this stage of the consultation but using it will pay dividends. Summarising will generally shorten, rather than lengthen, a consultation by avoiding blind alleys and false trails. It helps patients to realise that clinicians have heard what they said and to add any missing pieces of information before they move together towards a management plan. In this way, summarising is like a fulcrum or pivotal point in the consultation. Summarising as a stage of the consultation was first described by Neighbour but is now very much part of many skilled clinicians' repertoire of skills.
