BMJ 1994;309:777-779 (24 September)

General practice

Opinions of general practioners in Nottinghamshire about provision of intrapartum care

D J Brown 

Department of Public Health Medicine, Nottingham University Medical School, Nottingham NG7 2UH Correspondence to: 226 Radford Boulevard, Nottingham NH7 5QG.

Abstract

Objective : To examine the beliefs of general practioners concerning intrapartum care.
Design : Postal questionnaire survey.
Subjects : All general practioners with patients in Nottinghamshire Family Health Services Authority in September 1993.
Main outcome measures : General practioners' current involvement in maternity care, and beliefs on intrapartum care.
Results : Of 694 general practioners sent questionnaires, 550 (79.2%) replied. 529 of these were on20the obstetric list; 437 had not attended a delivery in the past 12 months; 36 had attended two or more; 358 general practioners did not wish to provide more intrapartum care; 349 did not feel competent to do so. Reasons for not wanting to provide intrapartum care included current workload (453), disruption to personal life (407), and the fear of litigation (377). General practioners who already booked women for home delivery were more likely to20wish to do more deliveries (62/42 v 61/316, X2=85.3; P<0.0001) and to have more positive attitudes towards increasing women's choice in maternity care (90/22 v 195/151, X2=227; P<0.0001).
Conclusions : The involvement of general practioners20in intrapartum care in Nottinghamshire is20low, and most general practioners are unwilling to increase their role. However, general practioners who already book for home delivery are keen to do more.

Practice implications

  • Practice implications

  • The contribution of general practitioners to intrapartum care has dropped over the past 50 years to almost zero

  • Two government reports have recommended that this trend should be reversed

  • In this study most general practitioners were unwilling to increase their involvement in intrapartum care

  • Reluctance was due to fear of litigation, current workload, disruption to personal life, and perceived lack of competence

  • Attempt to increase general practitioner intrapartum care should concentrate on the minority of general practitioners who are enthusiastic about home delivery


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Relevant Article

GPs' opinions about provision of intrapartum care
J Frain
BMJ 1994 309: 1231. [Extract] [Full Text]

This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Davies, J, Hey, E, Reid, W, Young, G (1996). Prospective regional study of planned home births. BMJ 313: 1302-1306 [Abstract] [Full text]  
  • Baird, A G, Jewell, D, Walker, J. (1996). Management of labour in an isolated rural maternity hospital. BMJ 312: 223-226 [Abstract] [Full text]  
  • Frain, J (1994). GPs' opinions about provision of intrapartum care. BMJ 309: 1231c-1231 [Full text]  
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