Human resources policies and continuity of care.

Explores the implications for continuity of care of the wide range of policy initiatives currently affecting the management and use of human resources in the UK National Health Service. Draws on the findings of a short study undertaken in 2001 comprising a policy document analysis and a series of expert seminars discussing the impact of the policies in practice. A variety of potential long-term gains for continuity of care were identifiable in the current raft of policy initiatives and seminar participants agreed that, when these policies are fully implemented, continuity of care should be enhanced in several ways. However, the impact to date has been rather more equivocal because of the damaging effects of the process of policy implementation on continuity within the system and on staff attitudes and values. If continuity of care is accepted as an important element of quality in health care, more attention must be given to developing strategies which support system continuity.