What can a GP do?
What Your GP Can and Cannot Do for You
In any health service, whether it is state-funded or privately run, it is the general practitioner (GP) that makes up the bulk of those required to man the front line. While the hospital accident and emergency departments certainly handle a lot of traffic, they are vastly outnumbered by GP surgeries and most of these remain fully active during every minute of their working day. The generalist nature of these medical doctors means that they are required to diagnose and treat a wide range of both acute and chronic illnesses, whilst also providing preventative care and health education as required.
A specialist such as a gynaecologist or a cardiologist is characterised by their exceptional, in-depth knowledge within a relatively limited field. By contrast, acting as the primary point of contact for the sick in general requires the average GP to display adequate knowledge of a much broader range of conditions. They must be able to identify and treat most of them while recognising those patients who need to be referred for more specialised examination.
When presenting with the symptoms of flu or experiencing an unusual chest or abdominal pain, providing these symptoms are not sufficiently intense to be debilitating, the correct course of action is to arrange for a preliminary examination by the family doctor. If influenza is confirmed or the source of pain is not identified as something serious, a GP will prescribe suitable medication and arrange a follow-up visit. Should these signs suggest something of a more serious nature, they will often attempt to arrange a referral on the spot.
Parents of a young child may have concerns regarding the potential danger of childhood infections such as mumps, measles, or rubella. Alternatively, a patient may be planning a vacation in some location where there may be a risk of illnesses such as yellow fever or malaria. As a part of the preventative-care role undertaken by general practitioners, the appropriate prophylactic measures are offered at GP surgeries.
One of the important aspects of the relationship between the general practitioner and their patients is continuity. Not only does a family physician have an ongoing record of every patient’s medical history but, because numerous contacts with these individuals over the years tend to lead to trust and mutual understanding, the resulting doctor-patient relationship makes it easier for patients to talk openly to a familiar face than to a stranger. Consequently, many patients will prefer to consult their GP on matters such as contraception rather than attending a family planning clinic.
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