General practitioners (GPs) devote their practice to diagnosing and treating general medical illnesses. They provide comprehensive and continued care to individuals and families across all ages and genders within their communities. This involves a range of acute, chronic and preventative medical services such as routine check-ups, health-risk assessments, immunisations, screening tests and personalised advice on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. GPs are usually the first point of reference for non-emergency illnesses and injuries and will refer patients to the required specialists upon diagnosis.

Qualifications

All doctors must be registered with the  Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA),  and needs to have FRACGP.

Responsibilities of a General Practice / Family Practice Doctor

The role of a GP is focused on the care of general medical illnesses, chronic health problems, providing preventative care such as health education, immunisations and early detection of serious illnesses which involves referrals to specialists such as oncologists, cardiologists, paediatricians, psychiatrists, etc.

Typical responsibilities of a GP include:

• comprehensive care
• continuity of care
• diagnostic and therapeutic skills
• coordination and clinical team work
• professional, clinical and ethical standards

Family practice doctors play an increasingly important role within the healthcare community today, acting as gatekeepers for the healthcare system. In addition to treating patients for various illnesses, they play a major role in providing advice on preventative treatments and wellness programs to reduce the demand on the healthcare system.

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