RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 GPs’ role in caring for children and young people with life-limiting conditions: a retrospective cohort study
JF British Journal of General Practice
JO Br J Gen Pract
FD British Journal of General Practice
SP e221
OP e229
DO 10.3399/bjgp20X708233
VO 70
IS 693
A1 Stuart Jarvis
A1 Roger C Parslow
A1 Catherine Hewitt
A1 Sarah Mitchell
A1 Lorna K Fraser
YR 2020
UL http://bjgp.org/content/70/693/e221.abstract
AB Background GPs are rarely actively involved in healthcare provision for children and young people (CYP) with life-limiting conditions (LLCs). This raises problems when these children develop minor illness or require management of other chronic diseases.Aim To investigate the association between GP attendance patterns and hospital urgent and emergency care use.Design and setting Retrospective cohort study using a primary care data source (Clinical Practice Research Datalink) in England. The cohort numbered 19 888.Method CYP aged 0–25 years with an LLC were identified using Read codes (primary care) or International Classification of Diseases 10 th Revision (ICD-10) codes (secondary care). Emergency inpatient admissions and accident and emergency (A&E) attendances were separately analysed using multivariable, two-level random intercept negative binomial models with key variables of consistency and regularity of GP attendances.Results Face-to-face GP surgery consultations reduced, from a mean of 7.12 per person year in 2000 to 4.43 in 2015. Those consulting the GP less regularly had 15% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 10% to 20%) more emergency admissions and 5% more A&E visits (95% CI = 1% to 10%) than those with more regular consultations. CYP who had greater consistency of GP seen had 10% (95% CI = 6% to 14%) fewer A&E attendances but no significant difference in emergency inpatient admissions than those with lower consistency.Conclusion There is an association between GP attendance patterns and use of urgent secondary care for CYP with LLCs, with less regular GP attendance associated with higher urgent secondary healthcare use. This is an important area for further investigation and warrants the attention of policymakers and GPs, as the number of CYP with LLCs living in the community rises.