Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34404634›Full record

ArticleBJGP open2021

Inequalities in the distribution of the general practice workforce in England: a practice-level longitudinal analysis.

Claire Nussbaum, Efthalia Massou, Rebecca Fisher, Marcello Morciano, Rachel Harmer, John Ford

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BJGP open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 55 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
55citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
21.5field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

55 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 97 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Deprivation scores and NHS practice payment trends in England 2018-2019 to 2023-2024:a multivariable analysis.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2026
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  7. Counting general practitioners: a comparative repeat cross-sectional analysis of GPs in NHS general practice in England.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2026
    Article
  8. Consultations with locum doctors in UK general practice: longitudinal analysis of electronic health records.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2026
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  9. Article
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  18. Strengthening general practice will help improve longevity and could reduce health inequalities.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2025
    Article
  19. Article
  20. Primary care stability as a social determinant.Frontiers in health services · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.

Claire NussbaumMPhil Candidate, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK cnussbaum15@gmail.com.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5364-2312
Efthalia MassouResearch Associate, Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Rebecca FisherSenior Policy Fellow, GP, The Health Foundation, London, UK.
Marcello MorcianoSenior Lecturer, Associate Professor in Health Policy and Economics, Health Organisation, Policy and Economics Research Group, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0009-5201
Rachel HarmerPrimary Care Network Co-Clinical Director, GP, East Barnwell Health Centre, Cambridge, UK.
John FordClinical Lecturer in Public Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
University of Cambridge · GBHealth Foundation · GBManchester Academic Health Science Centre · GBNIHR Research Delivery Network · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn England, demand for primary care services is increasing and GP shortages are widespread. Recently introduced primary care networks (PCNs) aim to expand the use of additional practice-based roles such as physician associates (PAs), pharmacists, paramedics, and others through financial incentives for recruitment of these roles. Inequalities in general practice, including additional roles, have not been examined in recent years, which is a meaningful gap in the literature. Previous research has found that workforce inequalities are associated with health outcome inequalities.

aimTo examine recent trends in general practice workforce inequalities. DESIGN &

settingA longitudinal study using quarterly General Practice Workforce datasets from 2015-2020 in England.

methodThe slope indices of inequality (SIIs) for GPs, nurses, total direct patient care (DPC) staff, PAs, pharmacists, and paramedics per 10 000 patients were calculated quarterly, and plotted over time, with and without adjustment for patient need.

resultsFewer GPs, total DPC staff, and paramedics per 10 000 patients were employed in more deprived areas. Conversely, more PAs and pharmacists per 10 000 patients were employed in more deprived areas. With the exception of total DPC staff, these observed inequalities widened over time. The unadjusted analysis showed more nurses per 10 000 patients employed in more deprived areas. These values were not significant after adjustment but approached a more equal or pro-poor distribution over time.

conclusionSignificant workforce inequalities exist and are even increasing for several key general practice roles, with workforce shortages disproportionately affecting more deprived areas. Policy solutions are urgently needed to ensure an equitably distributed workforce and reduce health inequities.

Indexed as

general practicehealth personnelhealth services accessibilitysocial determinants of healthsocioeconomic factors

Identifiers

PMID34404634
PMCPMC8596307
OpenAlexW3195560583

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.