Abstract
Consultation rates, visiting rates and a selection of miscellaneous services were recorded over two weeks in February 1981 by 82 doctors in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. The findings are reported here with an emphasis on the variation between individual doctors. Consultations (including visits) were at the rate of 3.27 per patient per year. Undertaking a selection of miscellaneous services for patients is estimated to be equivalent to one third of the doctor's consultation workload. In addition, participating doctors spent an average of 9½ hours in the two weeks undertaking tasks connected with education and health service administration. Time spent in the administration and management of the practice was not included in this study.
The home visiting rate reported in this study was 14 per cent of all consultations and, although a little lower than that reported in the General Household Survey, it is similar to the results from the National Morbidity Survey for 1970 and 71 and also similar to other PAA results.
The material is presented in such a way that it provides an analysis of workload in a large number of practices, and describes a method which doctors can use to measure their own performance and compare it with the overall results.
Full text
PDF
Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Ball J. G. Work load in general practice. Br Med J. 1978 Apr 1;1(6116):868–870. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.6116.868. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- CROMBIE D. L., CROSS K. W. THE WORK-LOAD IN GENERAL PRACTICE. Lancet. 1964 Aug 15;2(7355):354–356. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(64)90293-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- CROMBIE D. L., CROSS K. W. The contribution of the nurse in general practice. Br J Prev Soc Med. 1957 Jan;11(1):41–44. doi: 10.1136/jech.11.1.41. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Drury M., Kuenssberg E. V. Inquiry into administrative activities in general practice. Br Med J. 1970 Oct 3;4(5726):42–44. doi: 10.1136/bmj.4.5726.42. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Eimerl T. S. Organized Curiosity: A Practical Approach to the Problem of Keeping Records for Research Purposes in General Practice. J Coll Gen Pract. 1960 May;3(2):246–252. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Eimerl T. S., Pearson R. J. Working-time in general practice. How general practitioners use their time. Br Med J. 1966 Dec 24;2(5529):1549–1554. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5529.1549. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Fry J. Too few doctors--or too many? J R Coll Gen Pract. 1969 Jun;17(83):355–360. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Fry J. Twenty-one years of general practice--changing patterns. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1972 Aug;22(121):521–528. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Macdonald A., McLean I. G. Study of the work of general practitioners. Practitioner. 1971 Nov;207(241):680–688. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Marsh G. N., McNay R. A., Whewell J. Survey of home visiting by general practitioners in North-east England. Br Med J. 1972 Feb 19;1(5798):487–492. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5798.487. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Marsh G. N. Visiting nurse--analysis of one year's work. Br Med J. 1969 Oct 4;4(5674):42–44. doi: 10.1136/bmj.4.5674.42. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Morrell D. C., Gage H. G., Robinson N. A. Patterns of demand in general practice. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1970 Jun;19(95):331–342. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Smith J. W., Mottram E. M. Extended use of nursing services in general practice. Br Med J. 1967 Dec 16;4(5580):672–674. doi: 10.1136/bmj.4.5580.672. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Smith J. W., O'Donovan J. B. A survey of the work-load in a general practice. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1970 Oct;20(99):202–211. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]