STANDARDIZATION OF HEALTH ASSESSMENTS FOR PATIENTS AGED 75 YEARS AND OVER - 3 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE FORTH-VALLEY HEALTH BOARD AREA

Background. The new contract for general practitioners (GPs) was intro duced in 1990. This required all GPs to offer their patients aged 75 y ears of over an annual assessment. Aim. The study aimed to determine i f 3 years' experience had resulted in standardization of the way in wh ich health assessments for patients aged 75 years and over are carried out. Method The study was carried out in 1993. Questionnaires were se nt to the principal partners of all 55 general practices in the Forth Valley Health Board (FVHB) area. The main outcome measures were the fu lfilment of contractual requirements and standardization of the health assessment process. Results. Completed questionnaires were returned b y 49 practices (89%) Eighty per cent (39 practices) had drawn up their own assessment programme in 1990. Responsibility for assessments was most often (41 practices) shared between different members of the prim ary care team (84%). Although most practices satisfied contractual req uirements, there were wide variations in approach, potentially influen cing outcome. Conclusion. Despite three years' experience, no standard ized approach to the health assessment of patients aged 75 years and o ver has been developed. Purchasers of health care require information on the needs of their client population, and this should be available in an accessible, standardized form. There is an urgent need for a rev iew of the way in which the 1990 contract has been implemented to stan dardize health assessments and improve effectiveness in meeting its or iginal aims.