ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the framework which is known as economic analysis - a technique that relates the benefits of an intervention to the resources used in their production. With the emphasis on a primary care led NHS and the development of skill mix, this exercise is becoming increasingly important for the general practitioner. The consultation forms the core of general practice activity and the cost of a consultation is well defined. The big question is that of the value of the outputs of general practice, but there are great difficulties in answering the question. The chapter outlines some of those difficulties as a means of fostering further research on the subject. The principles of health economics are well known, but their application to general medical practice is relatively new. General practice holds the central place in the NHS in the United Kingdom and it is helpful and timely to start discussions now for a number of reasons.
