ABSTRACT
Health care is becoming more and more a matter of interdisciplinary teamwork, both in hospital and in the community, and this has effected a considerable change in general practice during the past couple of decades. The main benefit stems from the greater possibility of attachment of a health visitor, and the feasibility of a practice nurse, together with the obvious advantage that within a group of GPs a degree of specialism is possible. A good deal of satisfaction can be gained from taking part in health education programs in local schools and colleges. The primary health care team has open to it unrivalled opportunities for the early diagnosis of alcohol problems; like the problem of non-accidental injury to children, a great deal depends upon one’s level of suspicion, but given a fairly high level the GP in particular has many advantages.
