24 Hour Primary Care

An examination of the best way to provide out of hours care. It describes a range of options, issues and policy implementations in providing round the clock care, and provides evidence about what does and doesn't work. It also outlines challenges for the future.

This work examines the best ways to provide primary care at nights and weekends. There has been increasing demand from patients for out-of-hours care, and a great reorganization of primary care services outside normal surgery hours. Different models of organizations are being tested, including primary care centres and nurses giving telephone advice. This book examines the tensions between public and professional expectations, and describes the range of options for providing services, with examples of good practice. It reviews the evidence about what works best, and the issues to consider in setting up different services. The contributors combine experience in organizing, researching, evaluating and providing out-of-hours care, and offer practical advice, critical analysis and a political perspective.

Part 1 Choices and challenges: setting the scene
balancing demand and supply in out hours of care
a framework of models of out of hours general practice care. Part 2 Models of organisations: deputising services
GP out of hours co-operatives
GPs in A&
E Departments
nurse telephone consultation
nurse led minor injury units
responding to patients with particular needs. Part 3 Future directions: the integration of services
assuring quality
a vision of the future.