What’s special about GP
Dr Jo Hallinan
General Practice (also known as family medicine or primary care) is a unique medical specialty in its own right: as complex and challenging as it is rewarding. The training and experience of all the GPs providing medical services at Neighbourhood Medical ensures that they can provide you with the to ensure you receive the best care possible, tailored for you and your family.
As with other specialised areas within medicine, General Practice is recognised as a medical specialty by the Australian health regulatory body, AHPRA. GPs with the specialist FRACGP qualification have completed a rigorous training program through the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, including years of hospital-based training and supervised general practice training. All the GPs at Neighbourhood Medical have achieved this specialist qualification.
Every GP has a unique skill set based on their experience in diverse areas of medicine such as emergency, paediatrics, dermatology, orthopaedics, gynaecology, psychiatry and more, as well as training specific to working in primary care: skills that enable them to manage the wide range of conditions that present every day in a GP clinic, across all ages and genders.
So, what does having a good GP mean for YOU?
Whole person care
Your experience of health, illness and disease are uniquely your own. Consideration of your needs, values and desired health outcomes are always central to a GP’s approach and management of your problems.
You are more than an illness and GPs are well placed to be able to understand you as a whole, taking into account your personal experiences and circumstances. We strive to work not only as a physician but also counsellor, advocate and agent for change, both for you and for your family.
Continuity and coordination
Establishing a relationship with a GP develops mutual trust, knowledge and understanding of your needs. Your GP knows you, your personal circumstances, and your previous experiences.
Building on an established patient-doctor relationship, a GP is perfectly placed to work with and coordinate with your other care providers, never losing sight of the bigger picture.
Comprehensive care
General practitioners do not limit their care by age, gender, body system, or disease process. Many GPs have an area of special interest and many of us also enjoy life-long care for our patients.
Because of this, the scope of general practice is wide (and very valuable to individuals and society): prevention, health promotion and early intervention are as central to general practice as the management of acute, chronic and complex illnesses.
Diagnostic and therapeutic skill
Illnesses are frequently difficult to identify (particularly early on) and each person presents differently. General practitioners are skilled in managing uncertainty and have the skills and experience to work with you, even under the most challenging circumstances, to find the best health outcomes for you. Having a regular GP who knows you may help them to realise more quickly when something isn’t right.
Continuing quality improvement
Best practice in healthcare is always changing and GPs routinely keep abreast of the changing clinical and community standards. In order to maintain their specialist registration, those with FRACGP (and equivalent qualifications such as FACCRM in regional and remote areas) must undertake ongoing education.
So, GPs are not “waiting to specialise” – they have already done so. All the GPs consultings at Neighbourhood Medical are experienced and passionate about their work, and are ready to get to know you and your health needs.
