Listening to local voices: adapting rapid appraisal to assess health and social needs in general practice.

To explore the use of rapid appraisal in defining the health and social needs of a community and to formulate joint action plans between the residents and service providers. Collection of data by an extended primary care team from three sources: existing documents about the neighbourhood, interviews with a range of informants, and direct observations to build a profile of the community. Council estate of 670 homes in Edinburgh. Perceived problems of the community and suggestions for change. The interviews and focus groups identified six priorities for change, many of which were not health related. These changes have been or are being implemented. An expanded primary care team can use rapid appraisal as a first step in identifying and meeting local health needs. It facilitates a multidisciplinary approach and complements quantitative methods of assessing need.