A review of general practice reports: the need for standardisation.

Abstract

Fifty general practice annual reports were reviewed with a checklist to determine how much information was commonly included and whether they described the patients, the practice, and practice activity. The reports varied widely: important information was sometimes missing, practice activity was measured in different ways, and terms were often not defined. About half the reports reviewed did not draw conclusions or suggest plans for the future.Annual reports should include comparable basic information about patients, the practice, and the practice activity to optimise their usefulness in evaluation, planning, and decision making. Many relevant data are available from family practitioner committees and district health authorities. IntroductionThe principal function of an annual report of a general practice is to review practice activity systematically and to determine how the service might be improved. It may also be a historical record of the development of the practice; a morale booster and a reminder to members of the practice that they belong to a team with shared goals; a reference document for new, prospective, and trainee staff; and the basis for an information leaflet for present and prospective patients.General practices in the United Kingdom started to produce annual reports over 10 years ago,' and increasing numbers of practices now produce them. Indeed, the government's recent review ofgeneral practitioners' terms of service states that the production of an annual

General practitioners' views about the statutory annual practice report

“…The health departments saw general practice annual reports as part of the government's drive to increase accoutability within general practice and also as an input into the medical audit arrangements outlined in Working for Patients 4. However, annual reports have been criticised as being of little practical value either to health authorities or to the practices producing them 5, 6…”