Access to children’s GP appointments linked to use of emergency departments

Children whose GPs are easy to access are less likely to visit A&E than those whose GPs are less able to provide appointments. These are the findings of a new study, led by researchers from Imperial College London , and published in the journal Pediatrics. The research also found that during weekdays, children's visits to A&E peak after school hours. The study, which was funded by the National Institute for Health Research , suggests that modest changes in the provision of GP appointments - such as providing more after-school appointments between the times of 5-7pm - could prevent thousands of visits to emergency departments a year. The authors caution that although the study does not show that difficulty in accessing GP services is the direct cause behind increased emergency admissions, it raises important questions about GP provisions. Researchers analysed NHS databases, recording every visit to an emergency department and short hospitalisation (two days or less) for 9.5 million children in England aged less than 15 years, between April 2011 and March 2012. Using results from the national GP Patient Survey in 2011-12, the researchers then rated the accessibility of GPs based on how many registered patients reported being able to see or speak to a doctor or nurse on their last attempt (whether the appointment was requested on the same day or in the future).