A new kind of career

Abstract

General practice is an essential component of the UK’s health economy, ensuring the sustainability of the National Health Service, as well as promoting wellness and managing ill health in the communities we serve. The role of the GP has evolved over time, and will continue to do so. What has remained constant over the years is the position of the family doctor as a local champion of the health of patients, with the GP acting as an early warning system for problems seen in the consulting room. GPs are not only clinicians, but also social entrepreneurs, able to draw on transferrable skills to adapt and influence the communities in which their patients live.