Abstract
This paper is concerned with the negotiation of agreement to carry out research in primary care settings. It is argued that this is a key part of any research project, and that careful handling of this process will not only improve response rates, but will also often enhance the quality of the data obtained. A number of strategies for negotiating access are proposed which have been developed and applied in primary care settings. These strategies depend on creating a sense of collective ownership of projects between researchers and participants which contributes to the successful completion of the projects and provides a positive atmosphere for further collaboration.
