title: Council tax valuation bands and contacts with a GP out-of-hours service.
abstract: UK GPs are no longer responsible for the organisation of out-of-hours care for their patients, but resources remains capitation-based. This cross-sectional study tests whether council tax valuation bands can predict the demand for such services. All out-of-hours contacts made by patients in North Wiltshire over 4 months were classified by council tax band; frequencies compared with official population statistics. Council tax band predicts out-of-hours GP workload irrespective of age and sex: the more modest the home, the higher the GP contact rate. It may prove more difficult to sustain out-of-hours services in deprived parts of the UK.
authors.affiliation: Northlands R&D General Practice, Calne. info@northlandsrnd.org.uk
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Beale
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gwynne
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peart
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D039602:After-Hours Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013660:Taxes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*