'In-house' referrals : a primary care alternative to immediate secondary care referrals.

INTERVENTION: Practices were randomized into an intervention or a control group. In intervention practices, patients with certain conditions who were about to be referred to secondary care were referred in‐house. If the second clinician agreed referral was appropriate the patient was referred on to secondary care. In control practices patients were referred in the usual fashion. Patient satisfaction and health status was measured at the time of referral, 6 months and one year. CONDITION: Not applicable ; Not Applicable PRIMARY OUTCOME: 1. Health status: SF 36; 2. Patient Satisfaction: Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale (MISS) SECONDARY OUTCOME: Not provided at time of registration INCLUSION CRITERIA: Patients judged to need hospital referral by their general practitioners. In the intervention practices, these patients were initially referred 'in‐house' to another GP in the same practice. In control practices, patients were referred directly to hospital.