The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
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Problems with the provision of palliative care have been reported. Audit is one means of improving care. Earlier audits of primary care palliative care have been initiated by general practitioners (GPs) and are predominantly retrospective record reviews. Widely applicable methods for the audit of primary care palliative care do not exist. ⋯ The favourable participation rate suggests commitment to audit and improvement in patient care. Overall, the standards were reported to be suitable. Although 100% achievement of some standards may be unrealistic, the level of attainment for many suggests that it is possible. CAMPAS has been reported to be a useful structure for recording assessments and monitoring care, as well as a usable audit schedule. As an audit tool, it identified areas in need of improvement and facilitated feed-back to participants. Future audit is required to determine whether improvements in care have been effected.
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With the expansion of academic departments, the National Research and Development initiative, and the Culyer report, United Kingdom (UK) general practice research is undergoing a period of investment and change. ⋯ The content and design of published general practice research in the UK is varied and broad. The most robust methodological design should be the aim of all prospective researchers in general practice.