Commonwealth Fund 2015 survey

The Commonwealth Fund conducts a regular survey of primary care doctors in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, the UK and USA.  The survey seeks to assess current practice arrangements and capacity, as well as doctors’ experiences and views of their country’s health system. Participants in all 11 countries are asked a set of core questions to allow for international comparisons. A small number of country-specific questions may also be included.

The Health Foundation partnered with the Commonwealth Fund for the 2015 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey of Primary Care Doctors. We helped to shape both the set of general questions asked of all countries, as well as providing five UK specific additional questions. The survey is of 11,547 GPs of which 1,001 are from the UK (spread across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).

Early in 2016 the Health Foundation published a report, Under pressure, analysing and sharing the findings from this survey. It considers the implications for general practice in the UK and considers issues, including how satisfied GPs are with practising medicine and their experience of stress.