Who uses the 'after hours GP helpline'? A profile of users of an after-hours primary care helpline

Abstract

Background The 'after hours GP helpline' was added to the existing 24-hour nurse triage and advice lines in Australia in July 2011. Its objective is to improve access to GP advice in the after-hours period. Objective The objective of this study was to describe the user profile of an after-hours primary care helpline during its first two years of operation, including age, gender, location and relative socioeconomic advantage of users. Method The study undertook a retrospective review and descriptive analysis of the use and user characteristics during a two-year period in 2011-13. Results The service handled more than 300,000 calls in the study period. It was well used by parents of young chil..