Abstract
Objective To explore how those working in and with primary care organisations understand the term 'health improvement'.
Design Six qualitative case studies.
Setting Primary Care Groups and Trusts and partner organisations. Method Semi-structured interviews with senior personnel from participating organisations.
Results Informants offered a wide range of definitions which generally combined more than one meaning. Replies ranged from, on the one hand, an emphasis on National Health Service (NHS) service provision to, on the other, an emphasis on the socioeconomic determinants of population health, or the quality of life of individuals. Some explained the term primarily as a government strategy; some, as a set of activities for the NHS; some, in terms of the overarching purpose of health improvement. Conclusion Our informants offered more detailed definitions of 'health improvement' than are articulated in Department of Health documents. However, they did not include health inequalities in their definition. Recent government announcements about health inequalities targets may help to ensure that all primary care organisations consider the inequalities in the health of their population.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.