THE busy life of a general practitioner involves providing a medical service to the community and support to their patients in good times and bad.

Patients may have a wide range of backgrounds and opinions but the service has to be provided regardless.

Dealing with these apparent conflicts presents potential difficulties with the personal beliefs of the individual GP.

The speaker at Lunch Box on Thursday, February 4 was Dr David Webster, for many years a Reader at the Priory and for thirty years a general practitioner in Upton-on-Severn; he spoke about the challenges of being a Christian and a GP.

Taking into account the varied beliefs of patients he said that the basis of his vocation was inspiring by example; if patients wanted to include prayer as an adjunct to their treatment, he was pleased to offer it; if patients wanted to consider contentious treatments such as abortion or assisted dying, he would be able to discuss with them, without imposing his own personal beliefs.

Inspiring by example is arguably the most powerful form of ministry whatever the faith; St Francis of Assisi is attributed with the comment – ‘preach the Gospel at all times, use words if necessary’ and ‘let all the brothers preach by their works’.

David Webster was introduced by Rev Marjorie Stanton-Hyde and the vote of thanks was given by Christine Sutton who presented him with a token of thanks.

The next Lunch Box is on Thursday, March 17 and is entitled ‘Returning Tattooed Heads and Skulls to New Zealand and California’ an illustrated talk by Dr. June Jones, Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Ethics at the University of Birmingham.

Following the discovery of ancestral remains in the Anatomy Department at the University of Birmingham, June Jones has recently journeyed to repatriate skulls and skeletal remains to Maori tribes in New Zealand and Native American tribes in California.

Refreshments will be available from 12.30 and the talk will start at 1pm – bring your own lunch – all welcome.