QUERCC WP3
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Quantifying, Understanding and Enhancing Relational Continuity of Care
IRAS ID
333821
Contact name
Tom Marshall
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 3 days
Research summary
Relational continuity of care (RCC) is where patients see the same clinicians over time. Patients and General Practitioners value RCC and evidence suggests it results in better care delivery and better health. But continuity has been declining in recent years. This may be due to the growth in size of general practices, more doctors working part-time or moving practice. It may also be due to a focus on patient access, rather than continuity.
This study aims to develop resources to help General Practitioners measure, manage and improve continuity of care. We deliver this work across five work packages. In the first, consensus workshops of patients, clinicians and researchers aim to work out how best to measure RCC.
Second, we review national data to look at how staff turnover, part-time working, practice size and funding per patient affects continuity. From this work we will see which practices have higher than average RCC.
Third, we conduct case studies at practices with higher-than-average RCC. Findings will be used to document the barriers and facilitators for establishing RCC. We will compare our findings with those detailed in the General Practice Patient Survey (GPPS).
Fourth, we will look at resource costs and health outcomes, using linked primary and secondary care data. This will show whether costs influence continuity for different patient groups (by age, sex, deprivation status and chronic disease status).
Fifth, we will develop practical guidance to improve continuity of care, based on the findings from each stage of the research. We will work with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and Patient and public involvement (PPI) advisors to ensure our research delivers outcomes relevant to patients and practitioners.
This application is seeking approvals for the third phase of case study research looking in depth at the barriers and facilitators for establishing RCC.REC name
East Midlands - Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/EM/0031
Date of REC Opinion
24 Apr 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion