The availability of local primary care services, satisfaction with health services and self-rated health in older English adults: A population-based study

Primary care services can play an important role in addressing health inequalities and challenges of population ageing. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the availability of local primary care services can support satisfaction with health services and self-rated health in older people. This study was based on a population-based cohort study, Understanding Society: the UK Household Longitudinal Study, focusing on people aged ≥ 50 at Wave 3 (2011–2013; N = 14498) and Wave 6 (2014–2016; N = 13025) in England. Locations of primary care services, including general practitioner (GP) practices and other community health services, were identified from National Health Service Digital and linked to residential areas of the study participants. Multilevel Poisson regression modelling was used to investigate the associations between the availability of local primary care services, satisfaction with health services and self-rated health adjusting for sociodemographic factors, deprivation and urban/rural settings. Participants who had more GP practices in local areas were less likely to report dissatisfaction with health services in Wave 3 (IRR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.85) and Wave 6 (IRR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.59, 0.92). No associations with self-rated health were found in both waves. These associations were similar across deprivation levels and urban/rural settings. The results suggest that increasing availability of local primary care services may improve satisfaction but not health in older people. To optimise the supportive role of primary care services in healthy ageing, future research should identify complex needs of health and social care in older people and their experience of using the services