A medical clinic gives primary care to outpatients and provides general practice, pharmacy, dental and optometry services, plus other specialist areas. It can be run publicly or privately and can be found in a number of community settings, including hospitals, universities, and even shopping centres. Unlike a hospital, a medical clinic focuses on non-emergency, routine, or preventative care for outpatients.
How to choose the right care
The NHS states that registered healthcare professionals are regulated to ensure they meet the required standards. Professional regulators have the responsibility of ensuring safe care is provided. Many medical clinics will require their staff to undergo regular clinical training courses, such as those offered by providers such as Tidal Training. Such courses cover all the skills that are needed, from controlled drug administration to wound care management.
Types of clinics
Most medical clinics offer primary care, meaning a broad range of treatments offered mostly by general practitioners. These services include routine medicals and lab testing and screening for conditions such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes. They can treat mild illnesses such as sore throats, coughs, and headaches, and minor injuries such as cuts, burns, and scrapes.
Most clinics offer general care, while others specialise in areas such as addiction and mental or sexual health. They will include a range of medical professionals, including primary care doctors, nurse practitioners, physical therapists, and physician assistants, alongside specialist professionals such as dermatologists and gynaecologists
Specialised clinics that focus on one area of medicine are also available. You may wish to attend one of these for a particular condition, such as ear, nose and throat, orthopaedics, podiatry, or urology.
Why go to a medical clinic?
While you usually need an appointment to attend a medical clinic, some accept walk-ins; therefore, you may choose to visit a medical clinic if you want to be seen quickly. It is likely that you will want to attend a medical clinic for things such as preventative care and routine medical treatment; alternatively, you may visit when you are feeling unwell but your condition is not urgent.
