Variations in GP night visiting rates: medical organisation and consumer demand

Specially obtained data for night visiting fees show a considerable increase in the number of claims made per general practitioner and per 1000 patients. There were also considerable variations between the 116 executive councils: in 1973-4 the range was from 3-8 to 17-0 per 1000 patients. To explain these variations, their relations with the local characteristics of family practice and of the population was explored using regression analysis. The factors most strongly associated with variations in implied visiting rates were found to be deputising services and the proportion of social class V in the population.