General Practitioners and Preventative Care
GPs (General Practitioners) are your community-based doctors who don't specialise in one specific area of medicine. They diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications, offer advice, and even perform minor surgery right at your local health centre.
Preventative care is a huge part of what GPs do. They provide lifestyle advice, arrange vaccinations, and conduct NHS health checks to keep you healthy rather than just treating you when you're ill.
GPs also act as gatekeepers to specialist care, making referrals to hospital specialists for further assessment like X-rays or blood tests. They can also connect you with social workers when needed.
Did You Know: The NHS runs extensive screening programmes for conditions like bowel cancer and diabetic eye problems, plus vaccination programmes covering everything from flu jabs to polio protection.