Helping parents of children with respiratory tract infections decide when to consult primary care: a RAND appropriateness study

Primary care is under extreme pressure and struggling to cope with demand for care. Children with Respiratory Tract Infections are the most common reason for parents contacting primary care internationally. Parents and patients are offered little if any training or advice on if, when or how to use primary care services. Methods to improve appropriateness of help seeking could assist primary care to deliver an improved service to the patients in most need. Our aim is to see if professional consensus can be reached on the signs and symptoms that should be used by parents/guardians when deciding if and when to consult, both during the day and out of hours. The main study output (a guide for parents) will inform the design of future interventions that could (once proven safe and effective) be implemented by GP practices and other NHS primary care providers (such as NHS 111), e.g. via general practice and NHS websites.