General Practitioners treat all common medical conditions and refer patients to hospitals and other medical services for urgent and specialist treatment.

They focus on the health of the whole person, combining physical, psychological and social aspects of care.

The Practice Manager’s job involves implementing standard policies and procedures that keep the practice running smoothly, while also responding to any unexpected issues that regularly crop up.

A practice nurse will be involved in almost every aspect of patient care and treatment, undertaking such tasks as:

• Treating small injuries
• Helping with minor operations done under local anaesthetic
• Helping people manage long-term conditions
• Health screening
• Family planning
• Running vaccination programmes, such as flu vaccinations
• Running programmes to help people stop smoking

Practice administrators are professionals who are responsible for coordinating the daily administration of doctors, staff, visitors and patients at the surgery.

They schedule appointments, answer patient enquiries, handle patient emergencies, and monitor stock and supplies at the surgery.