The benefits associated with continuity of GP care for patients, for GPs, and for the health system have become progressively stronger.1 However, the routine measurement of this continuity in clinical practice has not kept pace with the increasing evidence base.
Now reports from two different parts of the continent of Europe detail levels of GP continuity of care at scale. Como et al (2020)2 from Catalonia report on about 7 million patients and the Belgian Healthcare Knowledge Centre (KCE)3 report GP continuity across a nation for the first time.
These are important developments underlining that GP continuity is a core feature of frontline medical services and can be measured for large populations.
It is impressive how high some of these levels of continuity are. Around 68% of Belgian patients of all ages received 75% or more of their appointments with their own GP. In England, a research study4 found just under half of patients aged 62–82 (older patients tend to have higher levels of continuity) had 70% or more of their consultations with the same GP. Much more attention needs to be given to continuity of GP care in the UK as it appears it is falling seriously behind other parts of Europe.
REFERENCES
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