There is usually a receptionist and one or more Practice Nurses.

GP's are paid by their patients, and to a lesser degree by Government subsidies (depending on age and whether you have a Community Services Card or not) and ACC.

A maternity benefit makes all GP visits free for pregnant women.

Most practices run a 15 minute appointment system, which requires pre-booking. Drop-ins can be seen in the event of an emergency but generally this is not encouraged as it causes long waiting times for others.

As most patients visiting the GP are older people waiting rooms can often seem unfriendly to youth, and the magazines always seem to be years out of date!

Try not to let this put you off, it’s just hard to get it right for everyone!

Medical records for each patient are kept securely either in a paper file or increasingly on a PC. Family members’ records are usually filed together but no-one is allowed to see your notes without your permission. Most GP's are happy to make up a separate file for you if you prefer, and they are usually careful to make sure computer screens are not visible to accompanying parents!