Listening, or just hearing what they say?

‘Listening Doctors ’ is to be the theme of the new society president’s tenure, which is entirely appropriate as proper communication skills are now more important than ever: patients clearly advise us of the great benefits that they derive from properly conducted listening and information exchange sessions. Information exchange must, however, always be two way—it should not be just a tick box exercise, and doctors should act upon (rather than ignore) what they have learnt through the listening process. They should also understand what is not said. We must not just turn a deaf ear and ignore something we are told just because it’s inconvenient to know. Voluntary euthanasia has long had major support among the public, who are also concerned about inappropriate intervention and resuscitation together with overt medica