Primary care in the UK has undergone rapid reorganisation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors related to this adaptation in UK primary care have not yet been examined. In this study, across 3 851 304 consultations for adults aged ≥65 years between 17 February and 10 May 2020, rates of telephone and electronic/video consultations more than doubled (106.0% and 102.8%, respectively), while home visits and face-to-face consultations fell by 62.6% and 64.6%, respectively. Despite the shift in practice to a majority remote model, patients with complex needs were still prioritised. This study also found a degree of heterogeneity in the adoption of remote consultation at the practice level. Factors related to this variation need further exploration to establish if there are barriers to implementation of remote consulting approaches at the practice level. |