Improving capacity and patient access in general practice

Improving patient safety culture in general practice: an interview study.

BACKGROUND When improving patient safety a positive safety culture is key. As little is known about improving patient safety culture in primary care, this study examined whether administering a culture questionnaire with or without a complementary workshop could be used as an intervention for improving safety culture. AIM To gain insight into how two interventions affected patient safety cult...

General practice research - training and capacity building.

The Lancet in 1999 suggested that 'neglect of research has made primary care one of the most intellectually underdeveloped disciplines in medicine' and later labelled general practice research 'a lost cause'. According to the Medical Journal of Australia, this underdevelopment 'stems from a lack of research culture, a heavy service commitment and the late arrival of academic GPs'.

A collaborative approach to improving patient access in general practice: impact of three different pilot schemes in 12 general practices in Greenwich

BACKGROUND With rising patient demand and expectations, many practices are struggling to respond to the demand for appointments. OBJECTIVE To investigate different approaches to improving access to general practice and assess the impact on (i) patient experience, (ii) practice staff experience and (iii) activity in A&E and walk-in centres. METHOD Greenwich CCG piloted three approaches in 12...

Research into practice: improving musculoskeletal care in general practice.

BACKGROUND Musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis, and rarer conditions like gout and inflammatory arthritis are the most common limiting long-term conditions in the UK.1 They represent a huge and growing burden on population health, accounting for 30% of all years lived with disability, and 7.5 million days lost from work each year. The challenge was recognised ...

Improving access to psychological therapies: implications for mental health care in general practice.