Farewell Doctor Finlay

9PM, RADIO 4

In the first of this two-part series, Margaret McCartney tells the story of general practice in the UK. She goes back to the 18th century, when the rise of the middle classes meant that more people could avail themselves of the services of a local doctor. These doctors performed surgery, often on a kitchen table, and prescribed purgative medicines. Margaret charts how the work of doctors has changed over the years, then looks at how the TV series Dr Finlay’s Casebook reflected changes in general practice.