Did the London Initiative Zone investment programme affect general practice structure and performance in East London? A time series analysis of cervical screening coverage and asthma prescribing

Population mobility: characteristics of people registering with general practices

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics of patients joining general practitioners' (GP) lists, and the time taken to register after a move of residence.

STUDY DESIGN

Questionnaire study.

METHODS

Staff in six London general practices administered the questionnaire to 642 newly registering adults.

RESULTS

Nearly 40% of participants took longer than 6 months to re-register with a GP after a change of address. About one in eight participants (13%) took longer than 1 year and one in 14 (7%) took longer than 3 years to register. The overall median time to register after a move was 4 months. The amount of time taken to register appeared to be influenced by a number of factors, including gender, age and geographical location.

CONCLUSIONS

Population mobility and the time taken to register with a new GP is likely to have a major impact on access to health care and the effectiveness of local preventative health programmes. Primary care trusts need to encourage their local residents to register with a GP soon after a change of address, and develop initiatives to encourage participation in preventative health programmes amongst mobile groups. Additional measures to strengthen primary care provision, such as walk-in centres, may be required in areas with the highest levels of population turnover.