Chronic disease management, health screening, minor illness, contraception, and community-based medicine for primary care exams.
Acne vulgaris is the most common skin condition in adolescence, affecting up to 85% of teenagers, managed with a stepwise approach from topical retinoids and benzoyl peroxide to oral antibiotics and isotretinoin for severe disease.
Alcohol brief interventions are evidence-based structured conversations delivered in primary care to identify hazardous and harmful drinking using validated screening tools and motivate behaviour change, reducing alcohol consumption by an average of 12-20%.
Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health conditions, with generalised anxiety disorder affecting 5-6% of the UK population, managed in primary care with a stepped-care approach of psychological therapies (CBT first-line) and pharmacological treatment (SSRIs) according to NICE guidelines.
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease affecting 5.4 million people in the UK, characterised by variable airflow obstruction and bronchial hyperresponsiveness, managed with a stepwise approach of inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators according to BTS/SIGN and NICE guidelines.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, with primary care playing a central role in detection, stroke risk assessment using CHA₂DS₂-VASc, anticoagulation initiation, and rate or rhythm control.
The NHS Cervical Screening Programme uses primary HPV testing to detect high-risk HPV and cervical cytological abnormalities, aiming to prevent cervical cancer through early detection and treatment of pre-cancerous changes.
Chronic kidney disease is a progressive condition affecting approximately 13% of the UK population, managed predominantly in primary care with focus on cardiovascular risk reduction, blood pressure control, and slowing disease progression.
Chronic primary pain is pain persisting or recurring for more than 3 months without an identifiable underlying condition, affecting approximately 1 in 3 UK adults, managed with a biopsychosocial approach emphasising exercise, psychological therapies, and judicious pharmacological treatment according to NICE NG193.
Contraception counselling in primary care involves a shared decision-making approach to help patients choose the most appropriate method based on efficacy, safety, convenience, and individual circumstances, with long-acting reversible contraceptives being the most effective methods.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a progressive, largely irreversible airway disease characterised by airflow obstruction, affecting 1.2 million diagnosed and an estimated 2 million undiagnosed in the UK, managed with smoking cessation, inhaled therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, and exacerbation prevention.
Depression is the most common mental health disorder, affecting approximately 1 in 6 UK adults, diagnosed using ICD-11/DSM-5 criteria, and managed in primary care with a stepped-care model of psychological therapies, antidepressants, and social interventions according to NICE NG222.
Dermatoscopy is a non-invasive diagnostic technique using a handheld polarised light microscope that improves diagnostic accuracy for pigmented skin lesions by 20-30% over naked eye examination, aiding appropriate triage of suspicious lesions.
Dizziness is a common and often diagnostically challenging presentation in primary care, encompassing vertigo, presyncope, disequilibrium, and non-specific light-headedness, each pointing to distinct underlying aetiologies.
Gastroenteritis is an acute inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract causing diarrhoea with or without vomiting, predominantly viral in aetiology in the community, and usually self-limiting with supportive management.
Gout is the most common inflammatory arthritis, caused by monosodium urate crystal deposition, presenting as acute monoarthritis and managed acutely with NSAIDs or colchicine, with long-term urate-lowering therapy to prevent recurrence.
Headache is one of the most common presenting complaints in primary care, with tension-type headache and migraine accounting for the vast majority of cases. A structured approach to history and red flag identification is essential to exclude sinister pathology.
Heart failure is a complex clinical syndrome resulting from structural or functional cardiac impairment, requiring early diagnosis with NT-proBNP and echocardiography, and management with evidence-based therapies that improve survival.
Hypertension is the single largest risk factor for cardiovascular disease, affecting approximately 30% of UK adults, managed in primary care with lifestyle modification and stepwise pharmacological therapy according to NICE NG136.
Hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disorder managed predominantly in primary care, with Hashimoto thyroiditis being the most common cause in the UK, requiring lifelong levothyroxine replacement and regular TSH monitoring.
Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, affecting approximately 30% of adults at some point, characterised by difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, with cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) as first-line treatment rather than hypnotic medication.
Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common cause of anaemia worldwide, and in primary care requires systematic investigation to identify the underlying cause, particularly gastrointestinal blood loss or menorrhagia.
The menopause is a natural transition diagnosed clinically in women over 45 with typical symptoms, with hormone replacement therapy being the most effective treatment for vasomotor symptoms and recommended in accordance with NICE NG23.
Minor surgery in primary care encompasses a range of procedures including excision of skin lesions, incision and drainage of abscesses, and joint injections, performed under local anaesthesia with appropriate training and governance frameworks.
Neck pain is extremely common, usually non-specific and self-limiting, but requires careful assessment to exclude serious causes including cervical myelopathy, fracture, and malignancy, managed primarily with reassurance, exercise, and physiotherapy.
The NHS Health Check is a systematic cardiovascular risk assessment programme offered every 5 years to adults aged 40-74 in England, aiming to identify and manage modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and dementia.
Safeguarding in primary care involves the identification, assessment, and appropriate referral of children and vulnerable adults at risk of abuse or neglect, with all healthcare professionals having a statutory duty to safeguard under the Children Act 2004 and Care Act 2014.
Shoulder pain is the third most common musculoskeletal complaint in primary care, most commonly caused by rotator cuff pathology, managed with physiotherapy-led exercise programmes as first-line treatment.
The fit note (Statement of Fitness for Work) replaced the sick note in 2010, enabling GPs to advise on what patients can do rather than focusing solely on incapacity, with options for phased return, altered duties, or workplace adjustments.
Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the UK, and primary care has a central role in delivering brief interventions and pharmacotherapy to support cessation, with combination NRT or varenicline being the most effective treatments.
Travel health consultations in primary care involve risk assessment based on destination, itinerary, and individual factors, with provision of appropriate vaccinations, malaria prophylaxis, and health advice to minimise travel-related illness.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a progressive metabolic disorder affecting approximately 4.7 million people in the UK, managed in primary care with lifestyle modification, metformin as first-line therapy, and individualised treatment escalation including SGLT2 inhibitors with proven cardiovascular and renal benefits.
Upper respiratory tract infections are the most common acute illness in primary care, predominantly viral in aetiology, and are a major driver of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.
Urinary tract infection is one of the most common bacterial infections managed in primary care, predominantly affecting women, with uncomplicated lower UTI managed empirically with a short course of antibiotics per NICE NG109.