The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
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Substantial increases in UK consulting rates, mean consultation duration, and clinical workload were observed between 2007 and 2014. To the authors' knowledge, no analysis of more recent trends in clinical workload has been published to date. This study updates and builds on previous research, identifying underlying changes in population morbidity levels affecting demand for primary health care. ⋯ Findings show sustained increases in consulting rates, consultation duration, and clinical workload until 2014. From 2015, however, rising demand for health care and a larger administrative workload have led to capacity constraints as the system nears saturation.
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Dominant conceptualisations of access to health care are limited, framed in terms of speed and supply. The Candidacy Framework offers a more comprehensive approach, identifying diverse influences on how access is accomplished. ⋯ The Candidacy Framework has considerable value as a way of understanding access to general practice, offering new insights for policy and practice. The original framework would benefit from further customisation for the distinctive setting of general practice.