HealthInfo West Coast-Te Tai Poutini
General practice teams
Everyone should sign up (enrol) with a general practice to get help with all their health needs. General practices have many different names, including medical centres, health centres, clinics and surgeries.
Unless it's an emergency (when you should call 111), your general practice should be your first point of contact for health advice and care.
If you or someone in your family is sick, make your general practice your first call, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Even after hours a nurse is available to give free health advice. Just phone your usual general practice number. The nurse will be able to offer advice or suggest you attend an after-hours clinic or emergency department.
If you need help finding a general practice near you, use this general practice map.
General practice teams
General practice teams vary between general practices. They normally include the following team members:
- GPs – Qualified doctors trained in general practice.
- Practice nurses – Registered nurses providing nursing care, delivering treatment and giving advice.
- Administration staff – Booking appointments, following up and helping the medical staff.
They may also include some of the following team members:
- Clinical nurse specialists – Expert nurses with special skills and knowledge in a specific clinical area such as diabetes. They can prescribe some medicines.
- Nurse practitioners – Highly skilled registered nurses with advanced education and clinical training. You may see a nurse practitioner instead of a GP. They can order tests, prescribe some medications and treat you.
- Allied health professionals such as dietitians, occupational therapists, optometrists, osteopaths, pharmacists, physiotherapists and podiatrists.
- Counsellors and social workers.
- Health improvement practitioners and health coaches.
What general practice teams do
- Provide treatment when you're unwell.
- Provide treatment and health advice for long-term conditions.
- Treat injuries.
- Help with wellbeing and mental health conditions.
- Prescribe medicines and give injections.
- Perform minor surgery.
- Refer you to other health professionals when necessary and work with them to look after you.
- Give lifestyle advice to help keep you well.
- Give immunisations.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed June 2021. Last updated June 2022.
Sources
See also:
Emergency & after-hours medical help
Funding schemes at your general practice
Review key: HIGPS-132164
