RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 General practitioner relocation in an urban area
JF The Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
JO J R Coll Gen Pract
FD British Journal of General Practice
SP 106
OP 109
VO 38
IS 308
A1 Anthony G. Smith
A1 Robert Barr
YR 1988
UL http://bjgp.org/content/38/308/106.abstract
AB One important factor affecting access to primary health care is the location of the general practitioner but it is often assumed that opportunities to influence the distribution of general practitioners are minimal owing to their low propensity to relocate. In this study in an urban area of Manchester a relatively high level of turnover over nearly five years was observed among 488 general practitioners, reflecting factors such as changes of practice within the study area (6% of general practitioners), movements to new premises without changing practice (7%), moves into (23%) and out of (20%) the study area and retirements (13%). Some characteristics of movers were examined and compared with those of other general practitioners. It is argued that levels of turnover may be predictable to some extent, but that family practitioner committees need greater knowledge of general practitioners' movements in order to influence the distribution of general practitioner services.