Medicine

There are over 60 specialties in medicine, including general practice.

General Practioner - general practitioners (GPs) are usually the first point of contact for patients where they provide primary and continuing medical care for patients. They may then refer some patients to hospital clinics for further assessment and/or treatment. With increasing investment, primary care is changing, with an emphasis on prevention and early diagnosis.

Hospital Doctor - hospital doctors apply specialist medical knowledge and skills to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of illness. Patients have usually been referred to them by their GP. Consultant is the career grade that most hospital doctors aspire to. As a consultant, you are responsible for your own work and for supervising the work and training of all doctors in your team.

Community Health Doctor - community health doctors are employed by primary care organisations to provide medical services needed to fill any gaps in the service provided by general practitioners (GPs). In many cases, they also offer an alternative for any patient who may not wish to see their GP.

Consultant - A physician or surgeon who does not take actual charge of a patient, but acts in an advisory capacity to the patient's primary physician. Such a member of a hospital staff who may advise the attending physician or surgeon. a person who by training and experience has acquired a special knowledge in a subject area that has been recognized by a peer group.

Hospital Management - A health care manager is responsible for the provision and commissioning of local health care through the management of hospital, general practitioner (GP) and community health services. Managers liaise with all levels of medical staff, whilst considering the demands of political policy and local circumstances.