ABSTRACT
Since the formation of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948, successive British governments have sought to ensure equity of access to primary health care (PHC). The traditional gateways to the PHC system, the general practitioner (GP) and the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department, have accordingly been subject to regular reviews and periodic reform (Chapman et al. 2004; Majeed et al. 1994). Supplementary sites for provision, such as community clinics and pharmacies, have been developed and in recent years telephone and internet-based information services have also been introduced. Although PHC provision is still largely associated with the public sector, with the NHS, it is no longer exclusively so. Both voluntary and private sector agencies are now involved in delivering PHC. Looking beyond conventional medical services, we can also identify a broader primary care commitment through the provisions of the welfare state, within social care organizations, and in the work of family and individual carers.
