title: Primary care. Burden of proof.
abstract: Evidence that the shift of services from secondary to primary care is creating extra work for GPs is limited. A study showed that it is possible to quantify additional workload for GPs, but that certain aspects, such as measuring the time input, remain problematic. Future research needs to agree workload definitions, employ sensitive measures other than consultation rates, and distinguish between workload in practices and that of individual practitioners.
authors.affiliation: National Primary Care Research and Development Centre, Manchester University, UK.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leese
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holden
mesh_terms: D004739:England; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013222:State Medicine / Q000639:trends*; D016526:Workload / Q000706:statistics & numerical data