Patients' attitudes to co-payments for general practitioner services: do they reflect the prevailing system?

Most Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries have introduced cost-sharing. This study compares the views of patients who are used to a service that is free at the point of delivery with those who are used to a system where 70% of patients pay for consultations.

Secondary analysis of survey data from a random sample of 11,870 patients in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

A 52% response rate was achieved, though respondents were representative of the two populations. Attitudes generally reflected the national status quo with little support for co-payments where there was currently no charging, but broad support where charging was established. Charging for missed appointments would be supported where there were delays in getting an appointment.

More research is needed to understand what underlies support for, or opposition to, charges. However, it is apparent that patients' opinions need to be considered when formulating health care policy.