Controversy in primary care - Does continuity in general practice really matter?

Continuity is an official core value of general practice in the United King dom,(1) but there are at least two potentially conflicting definitions of i t Both definitions are powerfully expressed in a recent report from the BMA , entitled Shaping Tomorrow.(2) For general practitioners, continuity of care has traditionally meant that a patient visits the same doctor(3 4) What matters is personal continuity, in which an ongoing doctor-patient relationship ensures that care takes acc ount of the patient's personal and social context By contrast, recent state ments from the NHS Executive emphasise the importance of consistency and co ordination of care.(5) From this perspective, continuity can be enhanced by appropriate organisation, guidelines, and electronic medical records, irre spective of which doctor is seen.