Emerging challenges for European general practice

This paper, based upon a plenary talk delivered at the 1995 WONCA World meeting in Hong Kong, speculates upon the evolving role of general practice within Europe, focusing on family medicine in the UK. Recent pressures for change have identified numerous challenges to family doctors and have resulted in an expanding and exciting potential for the future provision of primary care services. The relevance to a multinational readership is that elements of the UK experience are being replicated throughout Europe and the consequences for general practice are enormous.