Table 3.
Practice level baseline characteristics, by arm. Values are numbers (percentages) unless stated otherwise
| Characteristic | Intervention | Control | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No* | Value | No* | Value | ||
| Randomisation variables † | |||||
| High list size (0-9 year olds), relative to others in their CCG | 144 | 92 (64) | 150 | 91 (61) | |
| High dispensing rate, relative to others in their CCG | 144 | 60 (42) | 150 | 66 (44) | |
| Baseline practice level ‡ | |||||
| Median (IQR) list size§: all ages 0-9 | 144 | 975 (701-1422) | 150 | 997 (645-1375) | |
| Median (IQR) list size§: age 0-4 epoch | 144 | 480 (339-682) | 150 | 474 (308-62) | |
| Median (IQR) list size§: age 5-9 epoch | 144 | 485 (349-780) | 150 | 515 (334-723) | |
| Median (IQR) dispensing rate, per 100 list size (0-9 year olds) | 144 | 19.0 (14.3-24.9) | 150 | 17.7 (14.3-23.9) | |
| CHICO leaflet in use at practice | 142 | 12 (8) | 142 | 10 (7) | |
| Median (IQR) distance to nearest children’s emergency department, miles | 142 | 4.7 (2.3-9.0) | 145 | 4.0 (2.2-11.5) | |
| IMD fifth based on practice postcode: | |||||
| 1 (most deprived) | 144 | 37 (26) | 150 | 40 (27) | |
| 2 | 29 (20) | 31 (21) | |||
| 3 | 31 (22) | 29 (19) | |||
| 4 | 28 (19) | 26 (17) | |||
| 5 (least deprived) | 19 (13) | 24 (16) | |||
| Median (IQR) income deprivation affecting children index score | 144 | 0.15 (0.08-0.25) | 150 | 0.15 (0.08-0.26) | |
| Practice staff | |||||
| Median (IQR) No of general practitioners | 143 | 6.0 (4.0-10.0) | 147 | 6.0 (4.0-9.0) | |
| Median (IQR) No of salaried nurses | 114 | 2.0 (1.0-4.0) | 124 | 2.0 (1.0-4.0) | |
| Median (IQR) No of sessional nurses | 68 | 0.0 (0.0-1.0) | 65 | 0.0 (0.0-0.0) | |
| Median (IQR) No of pharmacist prescribers | 89 | 1.0 (0.0-1.0) | 101 | 1.0 (0.0-1.0) | |
| Median (IQR) No of locums | 102 | 4.0 (1.0-6.0) | 101 | 3.0 (2.0-6.0) | |
| Patient management | |||||
| Patient management (not mutually exclusive): | |||||
| No triage | 141 | 35 (25) | 145 | 46 (32) | |
| Nurse face to face | 141 | 17 (12) | 145 | 20 (14) | |
| GP face to face | 141 | 47 (33) | 145 | 47 (32) | |
| Receptionist telephone triage | 141 | 44 (31) | 145 | 48 (33) | |
| Nurse telephone triage | 141 | 17 (12) | 145 | 26 (18) | |
| GP telephone triage | 141 | 74 (52) | 145 | 81 (56) | |
| Other¶ | 141 | 16 (11) | 145 | 20 (14) | |
| Proportion of RTIs consulted over phone: | |||||
| None | 142 | 22 (15) | 146 | 26 (18) | |
| Very few | 35 (25) | 34 (23) | |||
| Some cases | 39 (27) | 40 (27) | |||
| Most cases | 32 (23) | 29 (20) | |||
| Always | 14 (10) | 17 (12) | |||
| Of these, how many are completely dealt with on phone? | |||||
| None | 138 | 25 (18) | 140 | 33 (24) | |
| Very few | 55 (40) | 46 (33) | |||
| Some cases | 44 (32) | 55 (39) | |||
| Most cases | 13 (9) | 5 (4) | |||
| Always | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | |||
CCG=clinical commissioning group; GP=general practitioner; IMD= index of multiple deprivation; IQR=interquartile range; RTI=respiratory tract infection.
Number of practices with data (denominator).
When CCGs accepted participation in trial, previous 12 months of list sizes and dispensing figures (in 0-9 year olds) was used to split practices into high and low categories, relative to other practices within their CCG. This information was used in randomisation minimisation process.
Collected from baseline practice questionnaires unless stated otherwise.
Collected from NHS digital data.
Includes online (askmyGP), emergency care practitioner, and pharmacist.