Sammanfattning
Michael Balint has influenced the development of post-war general practice significantly with a focus on the doctor-patient relationship. He was born in Budapest, became a doctor and a psychoanalyst and was concerned with, how psychotherapy could be integrated in medicine. In 1939, he emigrated to the United Kingdom and started group sessions with general practitioners, training them in dealing with psychological conditions in the general practice consultation, as described in his book “The doctor, his patient and the illness”. The method has become widespread and is still relevant for health professionals.