Dr Michael Bosch has stepped into the role of chair following the departure of ABC’s founder Dr Pramit Patel. Below, Michael shares with us his journey into general practice and why he feels so privileged to take the helm at ABC.
“Having been part of the ABC team for more than eight years, it is a great honour and privilege to now take on the role of chair. I am proud to be given the opportunity to play a part in ABC’s success story and excited to realise our ambitions and help transform how people manage their health in our communities.
I’ve worked in the area for more than 25 years and at present split my time between my role at Smallfield Surgery and ABC – where I serve as Quality Committee Chair and Frailty Lead. Essentially, this means that no two days are ever the same. And it is this element of variety and surprise that keeps the job fresh and exciting.
At a young age, I thought that the stage was my calling – until I realised that stage school required you to dance and sing. So, I started on my path through medicine via a slightly unconventional route, having secured my place in medical school whilst fulfilling National Service at a care home. It was whilst working in a support role in the care home that I first began to appreciate the importance of patient engagement and patient-centred care.
In the mid-nineties, I moved to the UK to continue my studies at St George’s in London and fell in love with general practice. I have always enjoyed the variety it offers, but also relish the opportunity to engage with patients and use my experiences to teach. For me, general practice has so much to give and I feel that ABC has the opportunity to become a driving force for generalist, patient-centred care. We can help to put the ‘care’ back into healthcare and help the population to create better ‘health’ in their own neighbourhood.
Amidst the changing primary care landscape, I’m excited by the opportunities ahead and look forward to working even more closely with the ABC team to truly make a difference to the lives of local people.”
