Today, along with opticians, dentists and pharmacists, general practitioners (GPs) form the ‘front line’ of the NHS providing primary medical care and acting as ‘gatekeepers’ to the secondary care system. Around 97% of the British population is registered with a GP. Patients register with a practice of their choice in their area—whole families are often registered with the same practice. Once registered, patients stay with that practice for an average of 12 years.
