The ‘Doctor in the House’ is now getting involved in changing the way GPs approach medicine. Dr Chatterjee’s BBC programme hasn’t aired this year, and he has turned his focus onto promoting ‘lifestyle medicine’ to GPs.
He released his first book, The 4 Pillar Plan, which has sold in excess of 100,000 copies in the past seven months in a number of countries, making it one of the most popular health books of recent years. Dr Chatterjee claims that the book – which focuses on relaxation, food, movement and sleep – is being ‘prescribed’ by hundreds of GPs to patients, with GPs creating ‘their very own “4 Pillar” template on EMIS based upon my work’. He adds: ‘The feedback from GPs is one of the proudest achievements in my entire career.’
Emphasising his efforts to put greater focus on speaking to fellow GPs, in the past 12 months Dr Chatterjee has created and delivered the first RCGP-accredited course on lifestyle medicine to about 500 GPs and primary health care professionals in the UK. It is about the importance and therapeutic application of lifestyle medicine – importantly within the constraints of 10-minute appointments.
Yet he remains a media presence. He continues to speak on BBC Breakfast as its resident GP – which arguably affects the consultations of GPs more than any action taken by the BMA. At the same time, he launched the Feel Better, Live More podcast in January, which quickly became the number one health podcast in the UK, with more than a million downloads to date.
Dr Chatterjee is currently working on his second book – The Stress Solution: The 4 Steps to Reset Your Body, Mind, Relationship and Purpose – to be released in January 2019. ‘I see stress as a huge problem in my practice. In fact, the World Health Organization calls stress the “health epidemic of the 21st century”,’ he says.
Fellow GPs are beginning to appreciate his advocacy of lifestyle medicine. ‘Excellent example of holistic GP offering alternative, yet patient-centred ways of self-help,’ one nominator said.
Even outside the ‘house’, Dr Chatterjee’s influence is growing.
Why influential: High-profile advocate of lifestyle medicine
What others say: ‘Books and talks on lifestyle change are inspirational. Progressive medicine’
Random fact: Still performing concerts with his band in France
