A health centre survey of rheumatism

In order to assess the size and nature of the workload in general practice resulting from rheumatic diseases and to assess the value of the National Insurance 'Sick Note' as an index of this, a prospective survey was carried out. The survey was based upon a health centre which provides the primary medical care for the majority of the inhabitants of a small town. During four periods of two weeks at a different season of the year, all patients considered by the family doctor to be suffering from a rheumatic condition were seen by a visiting rheumatologist. Firm diagnostic criteria were applied and functional capacity was assessed and related to both the diagnosis and symptoms. The rheumatic diseases and conditions accounted for about 5% of total attendances and a slightly greater proportion of total surgery time. This is less than suggested by some previous studies of different design. The sick notes provided such a poor index of the size and nature of the problem that information based merely upon retrospective analysis of these is probably of little practical value.