title: Contacting your GP when the surgery is closed: issues of location and access.
abstract: This paper examines spatial variation in the delivery of out of hours care through general practice, in two Health Authorities in northwest England. It demonstrates considerable variations in the type of care provided to patients in different parts of the region. These differences are not due primarily to either the geographical or socio-economic characteristics of the areas. Rather, the type of out of hours care delivered depends much more on variations in the structure and organization of service delivery. These factors, in turn, largely reflect the history of service development in each area and the ethos of individual general practitioners instrumental in establishing the service.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, Lancaster University, LA1 4YB, Lancaster, UK. c.pooley@lancaster.ac.uk
authors.forename: Colin G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Pooley
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Briggs
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gatrell
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mansfield
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cummings
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deft
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D039602:After-Hours Care; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004739:England; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013222:State Medicine