Extended use of nursing services in general practice.

Our practice comprises a partnership of two doctors with a list of about 5,500 patients during the first nine months of this year. The practice covers a radius of about 5 miles (8 km.). We were faced with a difficult situation at the beginning of the year, as it was obvious that a major outbreak of measles was imminent, in addition to the other common infections. There seemed to be three main problems. Firstly, the practice is situated in a " designated " area which is rapidly expanding because of overspill. There are more new patients than can be comfortably accepted if a satisfactory standard of medical care is to be maintained. Secondly, there is a large rural area to be covered, but both the partners are also heavily involved with hospital work. Thirdly, there is a lack of suitably experienced doctors willing and able to undertake this wide spectrum of work. It was thought that the scope of work, both in hospital and in the care of greater numbers of patients, could be done efficiently and properly provided that time was not wasted with