A ‣ Healthcare professionals

Many professionals are trained to help people stay healthy and to treat health problems. Primary care is provided by the doctors (also known as physicians) or nurses who the patient goes to first when they have a problem. This may happen at the doctor’s surgery or, sometimes, during a home visit. A locum is a doctor who does the job of another doctor who is ill or on holiday. Most medical care, whether it is for an acute condition¹ or a chronic condition, is provided through the primary care system. Secondary care is provided by specialists in special clinics or hospitals. Patients are referred to a specialist by their doctor. These may specialise, for example, in a particular organ² or a specific age group. Specialists (what they specialise in is in brackets) include, among many others: ophthalmologists (eyes), cardiologists (heart), psychiatrists (the mind), dermatologists (skin), gynaecologists (women’s reproductive systems), obstetricians (pregnancy and childbirth), paediatricians (children), and anaesthetists (anaesthesia or stopping people from feeling pain during surgery). There are also healthcare workers who focus on what is sometimes referred to as alternative medicine or complementary medicine³, including: acupuncturists⁴, chiropractors⁵, homeopathic doctors⁶ and aromatherapists⁷.

¹ one that is severe and sudden in onset
² part of the body, e.g. stomach, liver
³ approaches that differ from conventional western approaches
⁴ /ˈækjʊpʌŋktʃərɪsts/ people who treat patients by using needles at special points around the skin
⁵ /ˈkaɪrəʊpræktəz/ people who treat patients by pressing joints in places where two joints are connected, e.g. the spine, or backbone
⁶ /ˌhəʊmiəʊˈpæθɪk/ doctors who use tiny amounts of natural substances to treat an illness
⁷ /əˌrəʊməˈθerəpɪsts/ therapists who use aromatic oils and massage

B ‣ Health systems

¹ general expression for all of the services offered by hospitals, clinics, dentists, opticians, etc.
² tax paid by most working adults which covers the costs of healthcare for everyone
³ British name for the state-funded service that covers hospitals, clinics, dentists, etc. (often abbreviated to the NHS)
⁴ doctor who looks after people’s general health (GP = general practitioner)
⁵ small centre offering primary care, run by a single GP or a group of GPs (surgery can of course also mean the branch of medicine that involves carrying out operations)
⁶ centre which specialises in treating a particular condition or group of conditions
⁷ charge for the medication the doctor prescribes, which you pay at a pharmacy
⁸ choose private healthcare