Cleft lip and palate care in the United Kingdom--the Clinical Standards Advisory Group (CSAG) Study. Part 1: background and methodology.

OBJECTIVE

To review the history of cleft care in the United Kingdom and the rationale and methodology of a national study.

DESIGN

Descriptive overview to introduce this series of papers.

SETTING

Fifty National Health Service cleft teams.

PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Two age cohorts, 5-year-olds and 12-year-olds, with nonsyndromic complete unilateral cleft lip and palate and their parents.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Facial development and appearance, quality of bone grafts, speech, oral health and patient/parent satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

The case for a national assessment of cleft care is made. The methodology of the cross-sectional outcome study is described, together with a survey of training for recently appointed clinicians.