A general practitioner (GPs) is a doctor who does not specialise in one particular area of medicine. They are general experts in adult and paediatric medicine. GPs manage the healthcare of all their patients. This includes acute physical problems, chronic conditions and mental health problems.
During a typical appointment, the GP needs to make a swift and accurate assessment based on the patients’ symptoms and medical history. Depending on the examination and diagnosis, the GP has several management options. They will discuss this with the patient as they develop a shared and agreed plan. This may include giving reassurance, providing information, advising on a course of action, or prescribing drugs. The GP may need to refer the patient for further tests. This is to confirm a diagnosis or to seek advice from a specialist in secondary care.
Another important part of the work is preventative medicine and health promotion. This can include giving lifestyle advice during a consultation. GPs are increasingly dealing with multi-morbidity and coordination of long-term care. GPs work as part of a large, multidisciplinary team. There are currently 40 GPs at Mendip Vale Medical Group who are fortunate to be working with a large team alongside Acute Practitioners, Paramedics and Clinical Pharmacists. They may also work closely with other healthcare professionals. This includes practice nurses, HCAs, midwives, community care teams, dieticians, care homes as well as with hospital doctors.
GP Training
Mendip Vale Medical Group is an approved Severn Deanery site for GP training. We can have between one to four trainee doctors attached to the practice at any time. They are all fully qualified doctors, undertaking additional training. There are two types of trainees that may be attached to the practice:
Foundation programme doctors (referred to as F2 or junior doctors) are qualified doctors who are gaining experience in a GP Practice.
GP specialist trainees, often referred to as GP registrars, are fully trained doctors aiming to specialise as GPs.
