General Practice

General practice physicians specialise in a broad range of family health services. They provide diagnosis, treatment, management and education to men, women, children and the elderly. Physicians working in a general practice are often called general practitioners or GPs, and they are common across Australia.

A general practice can assist you or your family with a broad range of health issues, and regular check-ups from a general practitioner is a part of many people's health routine. They can assist with short term and minor illnesses such as viruses, common infections and other relatively minor conditions.

A GP can also assist with treatment and education for the elderly, people considering having children, contraceptive choice for sexually active individuals and education pertaining to a range of issues from mental health to sports injuries, nutrition and many other health related situations.

For more serious conditions, physicians working at general practice may be able to offer long term care, surgery, prescription medication and recommendations to further specialists in the medical field. General practitioners may work from their own clinic or surgery, as part of a wider network of specialists or even as doctor on call that can make house visits.

Most GPs prefer patients to make an appointment, and each general practice will be able to advise you the scope of treatment they offer, their availability and issues such as bulk billing, fees and referrals. Use the online database at physicians.com.au to find out more about general practitioners in your area, or call a physician today to find out more a particular general practice.