The National Primary Care Research and Development Centre series provides policy makers commissioners managers primary care professionals and user organizations with up-to-date multi-disciplinary research on important issues that inform future decision making for primary care development. This book examines the key factors shaping the relationship between demand for and use of primary care. It provides a detailed picture with which to inform the planning of appropriate acceptable and responsive primary care services. Patients' perceptions are important not only because they are a barometer of the appropriateness and effectiveness of services but because they are a unique source of knowledge about the way in which people use services when they do for the reasons that they do. This book concisely presents empirical findings and summarizes key policy and conceptual issues. Other titles in the National Primary Care Research and Development Centre series: NPCRDC:What is the Future for a Primary Care-led NHS? NPCRDC: Primary Care and Social Services: developing new partnerships for older people NPCRDC: Better Building for Better Services NPCRDC: Specialist Outreach Clinics in General Practice NPCRDC: Primary Health Care and the Private Sector