TY - JOUR T1 - Identifying high-frequency attendees in general practice JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 322 LP - 323 DO - 10.3399/bjgp17X691529 VL - 67 IS - 660 AU - Glenda Anne Cook AU - Akhtar Ali AU - Roger Dykins AU - Robin Hudson AU - Julie Johnston AU - Jill Mitchell Y1 - 2017/07/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/67/660/322.abstract N2 - Primary care is critical to the effectiveness and sustainability of the health system in the UK. This is recognised in the current transformation of health care that aims to provide care and treatment in the community rather than through hospital-centred services.1,2 The effects of an ageing population with complex multiple morbidities, coupled with increased consumerism, have placed an unprecedented demand for access to general practice. Combined with specific supply-side factors, including diminished funding of general practice and an imminent recruitment crisis, this brings to the fore the need for new approaches to delivering primary care.One area that has received little attention within the context of transformation is the phenomenon of a proportion of the registered practice population consulting their GP frequently.3–5 Gill and Sharpe’s 1999 systematic review of frequent consulters in general practice concluded that there were two general approaches used to define a frequently consulting group. One approach is to identify a cut-off point in the distribution of consultation activity (for example, top quartile). The other approach is based on a minimum number of consultations (for example, a cut-off of 9–14 consultations per annum). These patients have highly complex health problems, including combinations of multimorbidity, frailty, dementia, polypharmacy, and problems requiring complicated management plans. Personal circumstances and health anxiety are also prevalent.Practitioner behaviours also contribute to regular consultations by frequently attending patients. A welcoming approach with positive regard maintains interaction. Hence, when a patient is … ER -