AlphaMED Resources · https://alphamedicine.uk/Resources/glossary/primary-secondary
Primary care vs secondary care
Primary care is the first point of contact with the NHS. Secondary care is hospital and specialist care.
Summary
- Primary care covers GP practices, community pharmacies, dentists and opticians.
- Secondary care is usually reached by a referral from a GP or through the emergency department.
- Tertiary care is highly specialised treatment, such as transplant surgery, in regional centres.
- Moving care from hospital to the community is one of the three shifts in the 10 Year Health Plan for England.
Interview questions
- What is the difference between primary and secondary care?
- Why does a patient usually need a GP referral to see a specialist?
- What are the benefits of moving care out of hospitals?
Practise answering these with a mentor
Our interview preparation has you answer questions like these out loud, with feedback on each answer.
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More NHS hot topics, medical ethics case studies and medical school interview questions are in AlphaMED Resources, which we add to and update through the application cycle.