The Balint SocietyThe website of the Balint Society

The Research Project

An account of the first part of the Balint Society Research Project was published in the Journal Work Based Learning in Primary Care 2004;2:26-37 The paper is called ‘Balint in Vocational Training Schemes’ and the authors are Oliver Samuel, Paul Sackin, John Salinsky, Heather Suckling, Anne McKee and Ruth Pinder. The paper describes how the group investigated the different styles of small group teaching in Vocational Training Schemes throughout the London deanery. The authors explore the differences between Balint and ‘non Balint groups’ and discuss the role of small case discussion groups in providing support and space for reflection in vocational training for general practice.

This work was by way of a prelude to the main drama of the research project which was a qualitative study of the world of Balint in Britain carried out on behalf of the Society by a professional Social scientist and ethnographer, Dr Ruth Pinder. She spent a good deal of time with a single VTS Balint group, observing the group in action and interviewing the group members and the leaders. She also talked to the ‘tribal elders’ of the Balint Society and took part in event such as the Oxford Weekend and the Group Leaders’ Workshop.

Occasional paper published May 2006

The qualitative part of the research, a detailed investigation of the content meaning and aspirations of a VTS Balint group by ethnographer Ruth Pinder PhD (with contributions from the other research team members) was published as an Occasional Paper by the Royal College of General Practitioners in May 2006. An Occasional Paper is a substantial monograph on an important subject. The title of ours is Talking about my Patient: the Balint approach in GP Education and it can be ordered from the RCGP Publications department. This is Balint as you have never seen it before, viewed with the eyes of a social scientist. Ruth Pinder deploys her skills of observation and her theoretical knowledge of Culture, Narrative and Qualitative enquiry to place 21st Century Balint in its educational context. You may not agree with her conclusions but you have to read it!

Reference

Talking about my Patient: the Balint approach to GP education
RCGP Occasional Paper No 87 (2006)
by Ruth Pinder, Anne McKee, Paul Sackin, John Salinsky, Oliver Samuel and Heather Suckling.