Personal Médico y Paramédico y Lugares

Personal Médico y
Paramédico y Lugares
 Medica! practitioners 1
- - Practitioners
fn Brirain, docrors, also known as medica) pr:ictitjoners, must be qualified: have a
university degree in medicine. They must also be rcgisrercd - included in thc General
Medica! Council's lis,, or rcgistcr - in order ro pracrisc (see Unir 13). A doctor who trears
pariems, as oppclsed ro one who only does rescarch, is called a clinician. ¡\ docror who
provides primary care for patienrs is known as a general pracririoner (GP), or family
doctor. GPs usually work in a group practicc. Larger group practices work in a building
callcd a heahh centre.
Note: In British English, the verb is spclt practise and the noun is spell prnctice.

Specialties
Specialisr docrors, for example paediarricians. generally work in hospitals. However, thosc
who work ourside the NHS, providing prí vate hcalth care, may have consulting rooms
ourside a hospital - for cxample in rhe fomous Harley Streer in London.
The rwo main branchcs of medicine are surgery and interna) medicine, and the docrors
who pracrise rhesc branches a re callcd surgeons and physicians, resp<.-ctively. Tn Brirain,
male surgcons are addmscd as Mr and fema les as Ms - so Dr Smirh is a physician, and
Ms Smirh is a surgeon.

A cardiologist diseases of rhe heart and circularion, or cardiology.

A geriatric:ian
spccializes in
is J specialist in diseases of eldcrly parienrs, or gcriarrics.
An anaesthctist anacsthctics.

Note: Names of specialtics usually end in -ology; names of specialists usually end in -ologist.
lf the name of a specialty ends in -ics, the name of the specialist ends in -ician. Thcre are some
exccptions, e.g. anaesthetics and anacsthetist.

Choosing a specialty
Jill Mathews has just grnduared from medica) school and is ralking abour her furur<.
'I haven't decidcd whar ro spccialize in yer. 1 nccd more
expcrience before I decide, bur 1'111 quite attracred to
rhe idea of paediarrics becausc I like working wirh
childrcn. l'd cerrainly prdcr ro work with children
rhan, say, eldcrly parients - so J don'r foncy geriatrics:.
1 was ncvcr very int'erestcd in delailed anatomy, so
rhc surgical specialrics like neurosurgcry don·, really
appeal. You havc ro be good with your hands, which
1don 't rhink is a problcm for me - l've assisted at
opcrations severa! rimes, and r ve even done some
minor ops by mysclf - bur surgeons have to be able
to do rhe same thing again a nd again wirhour gerring
bored, likc rying off cut arrerics and so on. 1don't
rhink thar would be a problem for me, but they need
ro make decisions fasr and f'm not too good at chat.
1 like to have rime ro rhink, which n1eans surgcry's
probably not righr for me.'
Note: The collocation good with is followcd by a noun -
He's good with children. The collocation good at is íollowed
by the -ing form (gcrund} of a verb, or by a noun - She's
good at explaining pracedcres. She's good at explanations.

18 Profeuionol E.nglish in Use Medicine

5.1 Writc senrences to describe the work oí the specíalíst in each brancl, oí medicine. Look at B
oppositc to help you.
dcrmatology A oermatologiot- opeci81i:ze& in di,;e,i,;eo of the okin.
2 rhcumatology
3 traumatology
4 paediatrics
5 obstctrics

5.2 Complete che table with words from A, B and C oppositc and related forms. Put a srress mark
in fronr of the stressed syllable in cach word. The first one has bcen done fo r you.

Verb Noun (person) Noun (activ,ty or th,ng)

'specializc
pracflse
consult
ass1st
graduare
qualífy

5.3 Find prcpositions in C oppositc that c.1n be used to makc word combinations with 1hc
words in che box. Then use the corree, forms of the words to complete the senrences.

1 sood lntcixsrcd specialize work 1

1 A parhologisr .......................... _____ diagnosing disease rhrough cxamining cells and rissuc.
2 A paediarrician musr cnjoy.. children.
3 An oncologisr is _ __ _................ _ _ _ rhe diagnosis and trcannenr of cano,r.
4 A psychiarrist musr be ............................... counselling.
5 A ncurosurgeon musr be ............ .... her hands.
5.4 Makc word combinarions using a word from each box. Two words c.111 be used t\Vice.
Look ar A, B and C opposirc ro help you.

consulting centre
general prcctice
group sptcialtics
hcallh medicine
interna! praclitioner
surgical rooms

Ove.r .f-o '1ºª ~

Re- read what Or Jill Mathews says ahout surgt·ons in Section C. Makt· a list of tfu qualitil·s
she thinks are: m·t·dt·d to be a good surgron. Tht·n make a similar lis.t of qualitits ior
another specialty.
lf you are a studrnt. \~hich hranl'h of medicine do you think you have the qualitil'\ for? lf
you havl' aln·ady completed your training. why did you choos«: your particular branch of
medit·inr?

Professionol Engtish in Use Medkine 19

 Medical practitioners 2
Hospital staff
Thc ¡x"ple who work in any type of workplacc, including hospirnls, are called the staff.
T hc medica] staff in a British hospital belong ro one oí four main groups:
■ A pre-rcgistratic,n house officer (PRHO), or house officcr, is a ncwly graduared doctor in
thc firsr year oí posrgraduarc training. Afrer a year, he or she lx-comes a registercd medical
practir,ioner. In the currenr sysrem of tr-aining, rhe Foundarion Prograinme, thc name for
these junior doetors is Foundation Year 1 doctor (FYl ). (See Unit 12)
■ A senior house officer (SHO) is in rhe second ycar oí posrgraduate training. The titlc is
now Foundarion Ycar 2 docror (FY2), bur the old terms seniclr house officer and SHO
are srill used.
■ A specialist rcgimar (SpR) is a doctor who has complered che Foundation l'rogranunc,
and is rraining in one of rhe medical specialties. There are also sorne non-craining rcgisrrars
- docrors who have complered their rraining but do not wish ro specialize yet.
■ A consultant is a fully qualificd specialisr. There may also be somc associat, specialists
- senior doctors who do not wish ro b<-come consuh:1nts. In addition, rherc is ar leasr one
medica] (or clinical) director, who is responsiblc for all of rhe medica! staff.

Medical teams
Consultanr physicians ,rnd surgeons are responsible for a specific number of patients in
rhe hospital. Each consultanr has a team oí junior docrors ro help carc for rhose paticnrs.
ln many hn~r,it:. 1~, there are muJcidi.sciplinary teams which consist not 01tly of doaors but
also of physiorherapists and orher allied healrh proíessionals (see Unir 8).
When parienrs enrcr - orare admirred 10 - hospital , rhey are usually seen first by eme of
rhe junior doctors on rhe ward whcre they will receive rreatmenr and carc. The junior
doctor clerks rhem - takes their medica! history (see Units 47-49) - and examines them.
Sorne time larer, rhe registrar also sees rhe parienrs, and may order irwcstigarions or tests.)
fo r example X-rays or ,111 ECG, makc a provisional diagnosis, and begin rreauncm. The
consultan, usually sees the ncw admissions - peoplc who have recently bcen admi 1red ro
rhe ward - for the firsr time on one of rhe regular ward rounds, when rhe manage111enr of
the patienrs is discussed wirh thc registrar. Consulrants also decide when a parienr is ready
ro be discharged (scnr home). On the ward round, rhe consulranr is accompanicd by the
ceam and a nurse. and they visir all rhe patienrs in rhe consulranr's care.

- Shifts
Junior docrors now normally work in shifts, which mea ns they normalli• work for cight
hours every day, for example 7 am to 3 pm, and are thcn free unril 7 am rhc ncxt day.
Afrcr a week rhey changc t0 a differenr shift, for cxample 3 pm ro 11 pm or 1J pm to
7 am. The altcrnative sysrem is to work from 9 am to 5 pm every day and ro take rurns
ro be on call - available ro rcturn 10 the hospital if nt-cessary - from 5 pm ro 9 am rhe
ncxr day. Days on cal! are ser out in a rota, or list oí names and times. Docrors on call
carry a radio pager, or blecper, a device which makes a noise when somcone is trymg to
conracr rhem.

20 Professionof Engtish in Use Medi<Jne

6.1 MJke word combinacions using a word from cach box. Look ar A, B and C opposire ro help
)Ull,

associate eall
housc diagnosis
011 officer
provisional pager
radio round
ward sp«ialist

6.2 .\larch rhc descriptions (1-5) wirh rhe job rirles (a-e). Look ar A and B opposire ro help you.
1 Dr Graham has bccn a paediatrician for cight years and is responsible for treating the children
aJmitted ro Ward 60.
2 Dr Srewart has jusr srnrted thc sccond year oí her Foundarion Programme.
3 Dr Singh has srarred his rraining as a surgeon.
4 Dr Phillips has jusr gr-aduared :md is working in a large hospiral in Birmingham.
5 Dr .\lillar is in charge of rhe medica! sraff in the Birmingham hospital.
a ,pe,:,alist registrar
b med,cal dirt-ctor
e consulmm
d SHO
e PRHO or house officer

6.3 Are the following smremenrs crue or fulse? Find reasons for your answers in A. B and C opposire.
1 A medica! graduare bccomes registered rwo years after graduarion.
2 The sysrem of rraining doctors in Britain is called , he foundation Programme.
3 The name senior housc officcr is no longcr used in Brirain.
4 The consultant is usuaUy che first docror rosee new paricms.
5 \1.hcn working in shifts, ali doctors take turns to be on call.

6.4 Comrletc the rext of a PRHO describing her job. Look ar A, B and C opposite to help you.

\\nen I ge, 10 , he ward, the fim thing Ido is talk ro thc house officer who was on dury
dunng the last (1) .........-............................ , to find our if rherc havc been any new
2 _____ . Then I gcncrally sce rhe charge nurse. He rells me if rherc is
an, thing rhar necds 10 be done urgemly, such as inrr-aven,¡us lint.,; ro put up or take
down. Later in thc morning, 1 (3) .......- - - - - · · any new parienrs, which basically
,n,oh·es raking a hisrory. On Tuesday and Friday morning thc consulrant <loes her ward
4 _____ , and I have to rnake sure J'm cornplerely up ro date on her parienrs.
Aiter that, 1here are usually lors of rhings 10 do, likc writing up request forrns for blood
5 - - - - - · , and so on. In the aftemoon, l have to prepare for any parienrs who
Jrc 10 be (6) ____ ............... rhc next day. They'rc usually happy to be going home!
And thcn of coursc there are rhe lcc1ures and wrorials in the (7) _______
prmr.1mmc on Monday and \'(lednesday.

OVe..r -ro 11ou ~

How docs tht· hospital training of dnrtors in your rountry ditfn from Hll' British s~stt·m?
H,n" would you explain it to a t·nlll·agur from anothn rountry?

Pro(essionot Engfilh in Use Medidne 21

 ~ Nurses
Ei1 Nursing grades
Nurses working in a hospital have the following grades:

srudent nurse a nurse who is still in rraining

Staff nurse a nurse who has completed rhe training coursc
charge nurse a more experience<i nur-se who is in charge of, or responsible
for, a ward or departmcnr
nurse manager a nurse who is in charge of several wards

Note: The old term sistcr is still sometimes used for a female
charge nu~. A female nurse manager may be callcd matron. Dr James is talking ro
Sisrer Watkins.

@ Support workers
The clinical support worker, who has done a short course and obraincd basic
qualilications, and rhe nursing auxiliary, who is usually unqualified, borh assisr nursing
sraff. 17,ere may also be ward ckrks, whose duties include making surc parien11;' nores
and informarion are up to dace, and answcring thc tclcpho ne.

[i Specialization
Like doctors, nurscs c.an specialize:
• A midwife has specialized from the bcginning by doing a course in midwiferr, rhc
management of p,egnancy and childbirrh.
• Dlstrict nurs<..'S visir parienrs in rheir homes.
• Heahh visitors also work in rhe communiry, giving advice on rhe promorion of healrh and
the prevenrion of illness.

l!l The nurse's role

The nurse·s role has changed considerably in recenr years. In addition to general patient
care, checking temperatures, pulse rates and blood prcssures, changing dressiogs, giving
injections and rcmoving sutures, nurses now do son,e of the rhings prcviously reserved for
docrors, such as prescribiog drugs, and ordcring laboratory resrs. More responsibiliry for
nurses is planncd, as the following anide demonstrares.

Nu....,. cany out surgery in effort to cut patlent waltlng lisis

Nurses in Scotland traincd to perform minor surgery have entered the operating theatre for the firsl time in an
effort to art patient waiting times. Five nurses who have passed a new cotuse at Glasgow caledonian University
are now qualífied to cany out such procedures as the removal of small lesions. benign moles and cysts.

The Scotsman
Thc verbs perform and carry out are used with ali rypes of procedures. They are ofien
used in the passive form.

tlll ex~1mjn,1rion perforined

an opcrarion The proccdure was by a nu rse.
carried our
perform a procedure
carry out an cx¡x:riment p/
a resr
a biop;y

22
7 .1 Complete the senrences. Look ar A, B and C opposite to help you.
1 Somcone who speciali:es 111 delivenng bab,es ,s a .............................. .
2 Someone who is qualified ro assisr nurses is a ................. .............................................. _ __
3 Someonc who is nor qualified but is able 10 assist nurscs is a - - - - - ······························ .
4 A nurse who has qua lificd is a - -- - ········ nurse.
5 A nurse who specializes in health promoiion is a ..........•............•..... - - -- -
6 A nurse who looks after a ward is a ----········ nurse.
7 A nurse wh<> works in the community is a _ _ _ _ _ nurse.
8 Someone who answer.. rhc ward tclephone is a ····· · - - - -

7 .2 Make word combinarions using a word or phrase from each box. Look ar D oppos,te to
hclp you.

carry out sutures

change a procedure
check an injection
give a dressing
remove the temperaturc

7 .3 Complete rhe sentences wirh rhc correcr grammatical form of /Jerform.

1 An isotope brain sean is pain less and easy - - - --
2 Biopsy of the pancrcas - - - - - - - · ____ lasr March.
3 If rhc patient's condition deteriorares, a la¡,arot0my should ·················-------
4 lf a diagnosis of meningitis: is su.spec-red a lumbar puncturc must _____ .......~....................... .
5 Last year we · - - - - - - - - - - a randomized, double blind group srudy.

7.4 Complete the sentences wirh the correct grammarical form of carry 0 111.
1 now inrcnd ........ ------··················· a larger study.
2 Unfo rtunately few properly controllcd rrials _ _ _ ..... so fa r.
3 A numbcr of studics ...... recemly to look ar this quesrion.
4 A right hemicolectomy ........ and the parienr made a full recovery.
5 T his proccdure can ............... ..... in rhc cmcrgency dcparnncnt.

Over -ro 11ou '1

What kind of tasks do nurses carry out in your country? Are: nurst·s· rl'Sponsibilities
increasing? What are the implications of this?

23
 [;] Allied health professionals
r.i.1 Community health
The health of the cornmuniry depends on a large nu mber oí peoplc othcr than medica!
prnctitioncrs and nurses. Thesc can be gr<>upcd undcr thc hcading of allicd hcalth
proíessionals. T hey includ: the following:
• Pbysiorherapisrs (physios) help people to move by gening rhem to do cxcrciscs or by
trcating their body with hcat or massage - treaanent by manipulating musclcs and joinrs
with the hands. (Sec Unit 42)
• Occupational rberapis,s (OTs) help people with a disabiliry to perform tasks at home
and at work. A disability is a physical or mental condition that makcs it diíficulr ro live
normally, for example blindness or deafness.
• Social workers help people to solve rheir social problems - for example poor housing or
uncmploymcnr - or family problcms.
• Chiropodists, also know as podiarrim, rrear conditions affecring rhe feet.

[;] Technicians
Thtrc are numerous tcchnicians - pcoplc who work wirh scienrific equipmenr - such as
radiographers, who are known as X-ray rechnicians. Ambulance technicians work in thc
emergency medicine service. An ambulance rechnician wirh more advanced qualificarions
is c-alled a paramedic.

[!I Prosthetists and orthotists

l'rosthetists and orthotists provide care for anyonc who needs an artificial limb, (a
prosthesis), or a dcvice to supporr or control part oí rhc body (an orthosis). Thcy also
advise on rehabilitation - helping patiems rerurn to normal life and work afrer trearrr.enr.
Prosthetists provide artificial rcplacemcnts fo r patienrs who have had an amputation or
were born wirhour a limb.
Orrhorisrs provide a range oí splints
and orher devices to aid 1mvemem,
correct defonnit-y from an abnormal
developmenr of pan of rhe body,
for example club foot (talipes), and
relieve pain.

A prosthcsis Splints

ll] Opticians
Opticians test cycsight and prescribe glasses - also know as spectacles - and contact
lcnses, when necessary. 17,e examination includes mcasuring intraocular prt-':Ssure - the
pressure of fluid inside the eye - and examini11g rhe retina. lf rhe oprician suspecrs an
eye disease, such as glaucoma, rhey refer rhe parienr ro their GP fo r trearmcnt. Thc GP
may then reíer the patient toan ophthalmologist, a doctor who specializes in diseases
of rhe eye.

24
8.1 Make word combinarions using a word from each box. Look ar A, B, C and D opposire ro
help rou.

ambulancc foot
artificial lens
club limb
contact worker
health pressure
intraocular technician
Ot'tupational professional
social therapist

8.2 Which allied hea lth profcssionals could besr help rhc following people? 1.ook ar A, 8, C and D
opposire ro help you.
1 a young unmarried woman who has just had a baby
2 a woman who is having difficulry using her righr arm following a fracture
3 someone who needs glasses
4 an elderly woman who has hada below knee ampucarion
5 a man whose wifo has Alzheirner's disease
6 a man wirh a fungal infocrion of his fcet

8.3 Complete rhe te,crs. Look ar A and C opposire ro help you.

A prosrhetist works wirh parienrs of all agcs as a member of a clinical ream, based ar a large
hospiml. The pruienr.s m;ay nccd ~ prosthesis as the resL11t of :m :ac"°citlrn1, nr
(1) - - - · - -- - :ollowing a disease such as diaberes. Alrernarively rhcy may have
been bon, wirhour a (2) ······· · - - -- - - - . Orrhorisrs work alongside docrors, nu™'s.
physiorherapisrs and occupational (3) ________ ro give rhe people undcr rheir care
rhc besr possible (4) .....,................... ____ . Thcir main aim is ro cnablc rhe parient ro lead a
normal life at work and leisure.
An or,horisr ofren works in a clinic as parr of an outpaticnt scrvice and also visits orher
centres ro provide a serv ce for people wirh spt-cial needs. They deal wirh pcople of all ages.
For insrance, children who ha"e cerebral palsy may require (5) ······-·······...·.- - ---tO help
rhem walk and man y older people need special shoes to correct (6) _ _ _ __
lf damaged, any part of ,he human skeleron may require somc form of orrhosis. The
orrhosis may be needed 10 reposirion rhe body or ro (7) ····--- - - - - pain.

Ovu- .f-o 11ou ·~

Britain is intrnduring .i new member to tht· hralthrarl' Ct-am. callecl a medica! l'arr
pract itionrr (MCP}, 5imi lar to thl· phy!<lil'ian a5si5tant in tlw lJnikd St;1tt:s and otlwr
ruuntrit·">. The MCP will be ahlr to l'arry out sume of the functions of a nwdiral practitioner,
surh ,1s hi!<ltory-taking and rxamination , and diagnosis and treatment of ct:rt~1 in illm·ssl'S,
without having a nn-diral dt·grt·t·. What arr the advantagt·s and dis.advantages of :lfrs in
your opinion?

2S
 Hospitals
lntroduction to a hospital
Jordi Pons is a fourrh-ycar medica! srudenr from Barcelona. He has come ro Brirain on an
elccti,•e attachmcnt ro thc Royal lnfirmary, Edinburgh. Dr Barron is introducing him ro
rhe hospiml.
Dr &rron: The Royal Lnfirmary is the name of rhe univer,;iry hospital for Edinbur¡;h
University. Ir is a general hospital, dcaling with all rypes of parienrs and illnesses, excepr
paediatric,;. \V/e have a spo:cialisr hospital for rhat in another part of Edinburgh, thc
Hospiml for Sick Children. You can see some of the deparrmcnts in our hospital on che
sign. Of coursc, there are many
orhers, for example rhe lntensive Welcome to the Royal lnfirmary
C.sre Unir (ICU), and che Surgical
High Dcpcndcncy Unir (HDU). South Entrance
Jordi: \V/har does 'ourpatienr' mean? Car Parks C & D (visitors & staff) -
Dr Barron: Ourpatients are the The Simpson Centre Jf
people who come 10 hos~ital to
for Reproductive Health
anend a cliojc or ro have 1e,;1s or
trcatment and rhcn rtrurr. home - Gynaecology (Emergency)
on rhe same day. Lnpatients srny in - Matemity (Emergency)
rhc hospital for one or more days.
The rooms where rhey sray are - Neonatology (Emergency)
callcd wards. lf a paricnt's rreatmcnt
r~1uir\.~ vuly 0 11c 1.fay, ~ud1 a~
Outpatient Departments +
a simple operation, thcy can be AIIWards -
admined 10 rhe day surgery uni1. Day Surgery Unit & Endoscopy +
+- X-ray Department
+- Combined Assessment

fil Outpatients
Dr Barron: The Accidcn1 and Emergcncy Deparrmcnr (A&E), also called Casualry,
is where parienrs who are acurdy ill - wirh a suddcn, scrious c(mdition - come for
assessmcnr and trcatmc11t. Outpatients who have an appoinonent to see a specialist go ro
a clinic in one of rhc Ourpatient Oepartments (OPDs). Thcy havc usually been referred
to thc hospital by rhcir GP, who wrires a referral lcner 10 the consultanr cxplaining che
paticnr's problcm.

[i lnpatients
Dr Barron: The inpatienrs Ln a hospital are ad.mitted in one of duee main ways. Thcy
may be seen in one of rhc ourparicnt clinics and admi1red from rhere or, if there is a lo, of
dcmand for rhe trearmenr rhey need, as in thc case of a hip rcplaccmcnr, thcy are pul on a
wairin¡; list for admission. Al,ernativcly, rheir GP may arrange che admission by relephone
bccause chey are acu1ely ill, for cxample with suspecred rnyocardial infarcrion. Or they
are secn in the A&E Department, where rhe doctor on dury - working at chat rime -
arranges che admission. This would happcn in the case of a patienr wirh a fracrured neck
of femur, for examplc. Larger hospirals may have an asse,;smcn1 unit where patiencs can
be admined remporarily while rheir condition is asscsscd.
Jordi: Assessed?
Dr Barron: Yes - decisions are made about their condirion, and what needs 10 be done ro
help rhem. After treacmem is completcd, the paticm is discharged back ro rhe GP's care.

26
9.1 Complete thc rabie with words from A, B and C opposite. Put a stress mark in front of
the strcssed <yllohl, in ,och word. Thc firsr one has been done for you.

Vcrh Noun
ad'mit
assess
discharge
operare
refcr
trea.t

9.2 Make word combinarions using a word from cach box. Look at C oppositc ro help you.
acutely unit
assessment ltttcr
on l~t
referral duty
waiting ill

9.3 Which hospital departmmts would be mosr appropriare for tite following paricnrs? Look
ar A, B and C opp<>sirc ro help you.
1 ~ womnn in diaheric coma
2 a patient who has just had a radical prosra,ccromy
3 a paticnt who is to ha,-e a skin lcsion removed
4 a man wirh a foreign body in his eye
5 a woman wirh a threarened abortion

9.4 Complete the extraer fro,n an information leaílet for patienrs. L.ook at A, B and C
opp<>site to help you .

• f¡ rrmalion for oulpatients

youanve at 1he (1) _ _ _ _ ..•......... , please tell 1he receptionist who will
JOU, dledc yoll' deta~ and direct you to the waiting area. The length of your
en 1he (2) .••. you're going to have. You may need to
________ , such as an X-ray, which could mean going to another
;..,4.:,...._ _ , Or you may be (5) ----········· to other professionals.
« diltician. You may need to revisit the dinic. lf staff at the clinic
aliltl& appui,b1111Hlt wiH be aminged for you. lf you need to be
'°
iP s¡ 'tal far more t.eatment. either as an inpatient or for
;yeu wll be 1111d when 1his is likely to happen.
you will be (8) -------·----·-····-·····-· to your GP's care.

Ove..r .f-o• 11ou

• "
Uow do hospitals in your l'OU l,■hi/Jii,iiiiiiiiilriA•MkG,j@Miiil4iri6h11i1ii'i/il.Y:iffiS
, ,
to a l'olleague from anotht>r 1.·

27
[D) Primary care
E The National Health Service
The National Heal1h Service (NHS) is responsible for healrh care for everyone in the UK,
although a small numbtrchoosc to pay for privare care. Treatmcnt is ír<'<! bur therc is a
prc:-.scription chargc for drugs and applianccs, such as a cervical collar, with exemprions
for some parienrs, such a; children and che elderl)'.
Primary care is provided by general practitioners, or GPs, (somctimes known as family
doctors), nurscs, dcnrisrs, pharmacisrs and opticians. GPs work in practices of J ro 20.
Pracrices are based in a surgery and look afrer rhe health of from 1,000 ro 15,000 people
in thcir local community. Thcy also providc hcalth education in arcas such as sm<>khg
and dier, run clinics, give vaccinations, for example for influenza, and may perform mi_nor
surgery such as removal of warrs and moles. lf a patient needs specialisr care, the GP will
makc a rcferral - refer rhc paticnt to a consulranr in seconda ry care.
Parienrs are normally seen on an appointment basis. Home visits are made when pmienrs
are housebound - una ble to lea ve their homes - or too ill to attend surgery. O ut-of-hours
(OOH) rreatment, from 6 pm to 8 am, is provided by the local Primary Care Trusr, which
organiies shifrs of GPs and loeum GPs ro cover if someone is absenr.
Note: The noun surgery has three meanings:
• the building where GPs work - The proctice hos moved to o new surgery on the High Street.
• a time when GPs see patients - Morning surgery is from 8.30 to 12.30.
• the work of surgeons - The potient needs urgent surgcry on o burst oppendix.

@ Thc practicc tcam

A typical GP practice employs rcccptionist<. They are rcsponsihlc for inicial parient
comact, making appoinnnents, taking requesrs for repeac prescriprions, raking n'lcssagcs
from paticnts and orhcr health carc providcrs, and for filing and scanning documents into
pariern records. 11,e practice manager has respo11sibili1y for finance and sometimes for IT,
supervises receprion staff1 hircs locums, and helps prepare rhc pracrice developmem plan.
Practice nurses run asrhir,a, diabetes., and cardiovascular disease clinics as well as one-co-
onc dinics for thost who wish ro give up smoking.
In addition to practice staff, GPs work with a number of health professionals (see Unir 8):
• District nurses visit temporarily housebound parients, such as recently discharged hospital
parients, to changc drcssings, such as ulccr dressings.
• Hcalth visicors visit families ro carry out check-ups on young children - parricularly
under-~ves - to make sure thcy'rc hcalrhy. Special attention is paid to familics in nccd,
such as those living in poverty. Thcy also do baby immunizarions.
• Midwives run d ini,;s for antenatal parients.
• Physiorherapists provide hands-on trearmenr bur also teach parienrs exercises they can do
ro irnprove their condirion afrer an accidcnr or operarion.

A GP's day a.oo a>"A arrivt i:1t ti-le s.A.~trtt

ekeol> tn, OOH ,....,,¡¡
f"'"'""t
Dr Stuart works in a pracrice in c.~.uk fet ".-eev..t tiv.d Yl()~•t.(t gt lo'lt. ~ees
rt small market town wirh three ~.30a~ eh~ tM.Qi.t.s pc,1-'A. tht ~tellH, boa~ el~ f,Qrbttrs
ocher family docrors. The surgery ~~rt fer S-1'4."et:rt:
is in rhc centre of thc rown and 8.30 ~ J.0,50 D"l'\i. ~nJ_~ $t.(,f'9Ul:j (ttn.•Mit1Mtt: Q~})O~V'A.t:lo'l.ts)
is shared by three pracrices. This ¡; 1"" boolwl to,, ""'"'
is a typical working rnorr.ing 2 bootwil ,._~- .,_.tM,s ahM~
when she is nor the dury doctor, • boo~bt,..., th< "•tt
responsible for emcrgencies and w.so - W.55 ª""· cewi witli ~ fer l'l<lSS•etS
~"' presen'.ptio"-' a.-a ~tal •Alith rq,tat prtsc,í~ r<q«lSIS
urgent problems. 11.00 · u .:::w a~ wf{te b-'tl'l~ ~..... tt\t CPA{ttt...-..U tOOM wtth cclU091.<.ts
1.1..2ó - u..30 ~"4 er.ee~ home vi.sít rtqt«Sts avi.tt ,foídt iqi ,.,t.SL-ts. ....'tu, ccUea91A.tS
28 .1.1..30 ">"-A · 1LX> ~Y'A VIOl"..\l vi.si.ts
¡¡ r
10.1 Complete rhe senrences. Look at A opposire 10 help you.
1 Childrcn, over 60s, and people \Vith some chronk diseas<.-'S do not hove
10 pay ····················--- _______ in the UK.
2 Parienrs with mobility problems may be unable ro go out. Thcy are -·····-···--·····- - -
3 T he average GP - - -- ·············· is ten minutes long.
4 A ······-············-·-··-··········· is someone who takes rhe place of a sraff mcmber who is on leave.
5 Care outside working hours is known as -----··-······------- ·- - - - - - -
treatment.

10.2 Make word combinarions using a word or phrase from each box. One word can be used
nvice. Look at A and B oopositc to help you.

change n,essages
make staff
perform appointments
refer home visits
run dressings
supervise a cli nic
take a patient
n1inor surgery

10.3 Which member of a practice team would be responsible fo r each of the following?
Look a, B opposire 10 help you.
1 Running a clinic fo r pregnant women
2 Tcaching a paticnr how m srrcngrhen his broken lq;
3 Lerring rhe GP know char a parienr can'r come ro her app<>intmcnt
4 Running a clinic fo r people who wanr ro lose weighr
5 Visiring tl parient who has jusr returned home afrer a hernia operar-ion
6 Carrying out check-ups on children in a poor neighbourhood
7 Organizing cover for an absem doctor

10.4 Comple1e rhe diary for O· Sruarr's afrernoon. Look at A and C opposire ro help you.

1.00 - 2.00 p>1< prac:ict ttll"'- "<efü"'0 wer sol'\t!wi<:11 l«""'h

2 .00 - '-.00 p,,.._ «ftemco"- (:1.) - - - - -
1.2 tl"-·l'l<Í""<tt (2) ········-······················

4 .00 - 4.20 P'" ccf(u breo~

4.20 - 5 .00 p>1< ckec~ wí.th (3) - - - - - fe,, =9l-<· !>tal wí.tk ho"<e
(4) Ol'\t! rtpe<!t (5) - - - - - Ye&(l<t&\:s.
5.00 - '-·00 ¡,w. pape, wo~, t.9. ('-) - - - - -to stC<>l'\t!O>tj eart.
o,;,,.."- tos~, ttl.tph01't coUs to ]'Otit"-ts,
prlv•te tl<U(í.GOl e<Qt\<Í.~"-'

'-·001'"'

.... annm;;;;mmao1u;;1111m1:0a;,19;1m1wm1

29
 Personal Médico y Paramédico y Lugares

BIBLIOGRAFÍA
• GLENDINNING, E. H. y HOWARD, R. Medical and paramedical personnel and
places. En GLENDINNING, E. H. y HOWARD, R. Professional English in use (pp:
18-29). Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, Reino Unido.1

1
Uso con fines académicos