TY - JOUR T1 - Continuity of care: still important in modern-day general practice JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 396 LP - 397 DO - 10.3399/bjgp16X686185 VL - 66 IS - 649 AU - Holly Jeffers AU - Maureen Baker Y1 - 2016/08/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/66/649/396.abstract N2 - Continuity of care has always been at the heart of general practice. Patients who receive continuity have better healthcare outcomes, higher satisfaction rates, and the health care they receive is more cost-effective.1,2 The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has always advocated for continuity and has previously produced a paper on the benefits of continuity of care, and subsequently the Continuity of Care Toolkit.3In the upcoming RCGP paper Continuity of Care in Modern Day Practice (available soon at http://www.rcgp.org.uk/policy/rcgp-policy-areas/continuity-of-care.aspx) the College asks to whom continuity is most important in modern-day general practice, and how can it be realised in the face of changing demographics, work patterns, and the introduction of new models of care.The GP Patient Survey shows 52% of patients in England had a preferred GP.4 Seeing a preferred GP, however, is particularly beneficial for certain patient groups and a balance needs to be reached between patients who prioritise access to any GP for short-term illness, and those who would rather wait to see their preferred GP for issues they consider more serious. Those living with multimorbidities, older people, those with mental health difficulties, and patients receiving terminal care have all been shown to derive particular benefit from receiving continuity of care. According to RCGP analysis, the number of people with one long-term condition in England alone is expected to rise from 1.9 million in 2008 to 2.9 million by 2018.5 Alongside an ageing population, the demand for continuity is set to be greater than ever in the 21st century.The current lack of GPs and funding into general practice has obvious implications for realising continuity of care. Across the UK, all four nations are calling for an increase in the number of GPs. In England, the recent announcement of … ER -